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LAST  HOURS 
SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY 

A REPRINT 

OF 

WAR  MEMORANDA 


BS 

HENRY  EDWIN  TREMAIN 

Late  Brevet  Brigadier-General,  Major,  and 
Aide-de-Camp  United  States  Volunteers 


NEW  YORK 

BONNELL,  SILVER  & BOWERS 

1904 


P.S.— ' The  standard  represented  on  the  cover  of  this  volume 
is  an  exact  reproduction  (reduced  size)  of  the  pennant  carried 
immediately  behind  General  Sheridan  to  indicate  his  presence 
on  the  field  and  his  headquarters,— the  original  of  which  is  in 
the  possession  of  Mrs.  Sheridan.  , - r . j.  - 

THE  PUBLISHERS. 

New  York,  September,  1904. 


Copyright,  1904,  by 
BONNELL,  SILVER  & BOWERS. 


All  rightg  reserved. 


me.  i lu 


tff3.’?3 

TTSiL. 


TO 

JOHN  WATTS  DE  PEYSTER,  LL.D.,  A.M.,  Etc., 
(Brevet  Major-General,  National  Guard,  State  of  New  York) 

WHO  RESCUED, 

EDITED  AND  PUBLISHED  (1871-72)  THESE  NOTES, 
this  REPRINT 

IS  RESPECTFULLY  DEDICATED 
BY  THEIR  AUTHOR, 

1904. 


391218 


CO 


SECOND  EDITION — NOTE. 


Since  the  first  edition  of  this  work  was 
issued,  a copy  lias  been  secured  of  the  book 
(now  out  of  print)  referred  to  at  the  foot  of 
page  375,  entitled  “With  General  Sheridan 
in  Lee’s  Last  Campaign.  By  a Staff  Officer,” 
published  by  J.  B.  Lippincott  Co.,  Philadel- 
phia, 1S66. 

Its  author,  Col.  F.  C.  Newhall,  was  Assist- 
ant Adjutant  General  to,  and  an  esteemed 
confidential  staff  officer  of,  General  Sheridan. 
The  map  contained  in  that  reliable  and  fasci- 
nating hook,  written  by  a gallant  officer 
wielding  a brilliant  pen,  denotes  the  lines  of 
march  of  the  Cavalry,  and  is  reproduced  in 
this  edition  to  supplement  the  map  printed  in 
the  first  edition. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

PAGE 

The  situation  stated— The  forty  miles  of  line — Lee's  desperate 
assault  to  break  through  at  Fort  Steadman  on  25th  of  March. 
— The  new  dispositions  made  by  Grant  on  the  26th,  27th  and 
28th  of  March.— Sheridan's  arrival  on  March  27th.— His  com- 
mand described. — It  started  March  29th.— The  Second  and 
Fifth  Corps  also  relieved  and  marching. — Passing  Reams- 
Station  Battlefield,  Malone’s  “ Bridge.”— Dinwiddle  Court- 
House. — Thursday,  March  80th,  gloomy. — The  roads. — The 
army  working. — The  continuous  line  of  battle  twenty-eight 
miles  long.— A wet,  doleful  and  laborious  day  with  high  ac- 
complishments.— Some  despatches 13 

CHAPTER  H. 

Friday,  March  31st,  developed  Union  advantages  from  the 
storm. — How  Grant  commanded  his  own  and  Lee’s  army. — 
The  Fifth  Corps  has  a curious  encounter,  but  recovers  and 
gains  its  point. — Sheridan  fails  to  secure  Five  Forks.— His 
Brigades  fight  all  day  a series  of  separate  battles. — Enemy 
mystified  but  developed. — The  “"War  Horse”  General  Thomas 
C.  Devin. — His  narrow  escape. — The  First  Maine  Cavalry 
and  its  “seven  shooters.’’— Saving  the  horses. — A masterly 
retreat. — Sheridan  wanted  everything  to  “go  in,”  would  not 
admit  defeat. — Battle  of  Dinwiddie  covered  many  square 
miles.— Communication  with  the  fighting  regiments  often 
impossible.— An  aide  rode  into  the  backs  of  rebel  infantry. — 
Sheridan  attacked  it,  and  thus  protected  the  flank  of  the 
army.— The  countercharges  at  sunset. — Fighting  to  music. — 
The  rail  barricade. — The  new  short  line. — Sheridan  rides  it. — 
The  quicksands  unhorse  the  Custer  troopers.— Welcome  dark- 


6 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

ness. — Sheridan  to  Grant  and  the  response. — A vigilant  night. 
— Lee’s  golden  opportunity. — The  last  military  advantage  of 
his  life.— His  omissions.— The  order  to  Warren  commanding 
the  Fifth  Corps.— The  Battle  of  Dinwiddie  summed  up.. . . 30 

CHAPTER  HI. 

Saturday,  April  1st,  Sheridan  moving  towards  Five  Forks  at 
daylight.— His  disappointments. — Enemy  in  turn  pursued. — 
The  ambulances.— The  concentration  forced  upon  the  enemy. 
— His  position.— Five  Forks  described.— Sheridan’s  plan.— 
Win  or  die.— Grant  orders  him  “to  destroy  the  force”  “so 
gallantly  fought  by  you  the  day  before.” — The  Fifth  Corps 
at  daylight  not  where  expected.— Why  ?— The  fighting  at 
sunset. — The  charges — the  dispersion — the  captures. — Loss 
of  the  Southside  Railroad  to  the  enemy. — A great  victory. — 
Grant  at  once  utilizes  it.— Some  despatches.— Campaign 
map 65 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Sunday,  April  2d. — The  night  after  the  battle. — The  midnight 
bombardment  of  Petersburg.— Shotted  salutes. — The  twenty 
miles  of  assault. — Fall  of  Petersburg.— What  Sheridan  was 
meanwhile  doing. — Battle  at  Sutherland  station.— Miles  com- 
mended.—Some  despatches 85 

CHAPTER  V. 

A pursuit. — Sheridan’s  scouts.— Major  Young  their  chief. — The 
march  of  Monday,  April  3d,  and  Tuesday,  April  4th.— Grant’s 
general  dispositions. — The  composition  of  the  pursuing 
army.— Its  routes  of  march. — Avoiding  a “stern  chase.” — 
The  roads,  the  folk,  and  the  country.— Horses  “contra- 
band of  war.” — The  army’s  visitors. — Lee  at  Amelia  Court- 
House.— Jetersville.— Battle  expected  : an  opportunity  lost  to 
Lee.— Sheridan  hopefully  writes  Meade  about  dispersing 
Lee’s  army. — Notes. — Some  despatches 97 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Wednesday,  April  5th.— The  daybreak  Cavalry  dashes.— Bril- 
liant exploit  of  Davies.— The  captures.— His  modest  report.— 
Crook  arrives  to  his  relief  and  secures  the  retreat.— Irwir 


CONTENTS. 


7 


Gregg’s  brigade  cut  off  in  the  fight.— The  enemy  renew  the 
attack  in  force.— Battle  of  Jetersville.— Sad  losses. — The  tell- 
tale captured  note.— Sheridan  writes  Grant  “ I see  no  escape 
for  Lee.”— How  the  day  closed.— Some  despatches 123 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Thursday,  April  6th. — Results  of  the  previous  day. — Delay  in 
changing  the  routes  of  march.— Diverse  opinions.— Sheridan 
reliant  and  active. — Orders  his  troops  to  attack  wherever 
seeing  the  enemy.— Latter  thus  detained  at  Deatonsville. — 
Severing  Lee’s  columns. — Many  vain  attempts. — Battle  of 
Sailor’s  Creek. — The  Sixth  Corps  close  in.— The  consequent 
collapse  of  Ewell’s  corps. — The  captures  and  captives. — A 
young  aide  [Capt.  Cyrus  S.  Roberts,  now  Brig.-Genl.  regular 
army  retired]  takes  unaided  fifty  prisoners.— The  great  cav- 
alry charges. — Their  failures  and  successes.— Mule  cavalry. 
— The  final  crash. — Incidents.— The  end  of  the  daylight. — 
Sheridan’s  despatch  to  Grant  at  night : “ If  the  thing  is 
pressed  I think  Lee  will  surrender.” — Grant  replies  “Press 
things.’’— Some  despatches 137 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Friday,  April  7th,  Grant  wrote  his  first  letter  to  Lee  about  sur- 
rendering.— The  bivouac  reveille. — Columas  move  to  “pitch 
in.”— Sheridan’s  fruitful  detour.— Hard  marching. — The  oper- 
ations stated. — A deplorable  loss  where  General  Reed  was 
killed ; and  a reverse  on  Thursday  near  Rice’s  Station. — 
Farmville. — The  situation  there. — Lee’s  Headquarters. — The 
bridge  afire.— The  charge  down  hill. — The  closed  up  town. — 
General  Humphreys’  splendid  fighting.— Death  of  General 
Smy the. — Crook  fording  the  river.— His  attack  on  the  enemy’s 
wagon  train. — A desperate  encounter. — Our  loss. — Brigade 
General  Irwin  Gregg  falls  a prisoner  at  the  head  of  his  com- 
mand.— The  column  broken  up.— Narrow  escapes.— The  re- 
treat relieved. — Lord’s  battery. — Re-crossing  the  river. — A 
long  night  march.— The  day’s  events  summed  up.— Some 
despatches 16S 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Saturday,  April  8th,  and  its  marches  and  developments. — The 
railroad  trains  of  rations. — Their  capture. — The  night  battle 


8 


CONTENTS. 


FAGK 

at  Appomattox  Station.— Leo  outmarched.— Custer’s  energy 
and  sagacity. — Devin's  stolid  assistance.— They  “ win  out.’’ — 
A call  for  locomotive  engineers.— They  appear  and  run  the 
captured  trains  into  the  Union  lines. — A struggle  for  the 
Lynchburg  Pike. — Twenty-five  guns  and  two  hundred  wagons 
captured  in  the  darkness.— Sanguinary  struggle.— Sad  losses. 
—Record  breaking.— Night  marches  of  infantry. — Some  de- 
spatches   207 


CHAPTER  X. 

Sunday,  April  9th— The  daybreak  in  fog. — Crook’s  difficult 
task. — The  opposing  lines.— The  enemy’s  final  advance.— Ar- 
rival of  infantry  line. — Sheridan's  grand  charge  averted. — 
He  suspends  hostilities  by  request  of  Lee’s  generals. — The 
truce  formed  on  enemy’s  mis-statement. — Lee  not  “ in  con- 
ference ” with  Grant,  but  at  last  offers  to  surrender  with- 
out negotiating.— The  scene  of  battle. — Communication  diffi- 
cult between  the  wings  of  Meade  and  Sheridan.— Latter 
fired  upon  during  the  truce. — The  last  shots. — A memorable 
despatch. — See  also  Chapter  XIII 239 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Monday,  April  10th. — Away  from  the  battlefield. — Lee’s  army 
dispersing  before  the  parol — Lee’s  farewell  to  his  army. — 
How  Grant  escaped  assassination. — News  of  Lincoln’s  fate.— 
The  cavalry  returning  to  Petersburg.— Incidents. — Precau- 
tions and  preparations.— The  new  expedition.— The  cavalry 
start  for  North  Carolina.— Bridge  making. — The  scouts.— The 
new  region.— News  of  Johnston’s  surrender  to  Sherman. — 
Crook  had  reached  North  Carolina  soil. — The  return  march 
to  Richmond  and  to  "Washington. — Homeward  bound.— Notes, 
aad  some  despatches 265 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Great  Review  at  Washington  of  all  the  armies. — The  ren- 
dezvous.— Sheridan  absent  because  ordered  to  Texas. — The 
cavalry  camp,  and  dispersion  of  the  corps. — Its  records 
boxed  in  July. — Gradually  disbanded  without  any  formal 
order. — See  Appendix  II  and  III  and  notes..., 305 


CONTENTS . 


9 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

PAGE 

A chapter  written  thirty-five  years  later  — Compilations  from 
official  reports  of  commands  engaged  at  Appomattox. — De- 
scriptions of  the  fighting  there  as  told  by  combatants. — Con- 
temporary history  from  both  the  opposing  armies. — Lee’s 
purpose  by  that  battle.— The  possible  escape  of  his  army 
designed  when  he  rode  away  to  meet  Grant. — He  then  re- 
ceives Grant’s  message  declining  to  meet  him  except  for  the 
purpose  of  an  absolute  surrender. — The  escape  frustrated. — 
Lee  acquiesces  in  the  truce  secured  by  his  fighting  generals, 
procures  a further  truce  from  Meade,  and  then  seeks  Grant 
for  the  surrender. — See  also  Chapter  X 324 

Appendix  I.  Reprint  of  “ Anchor’s  (John  Watts  de  Peyster’s) 
Critical  Pamphlet  relating  to  the  ‘Last  Days.’  “From 
Sailor’s  Creek  to  Appomattox  Court  House.” 439 

Appendix  II.  Orders  for  the  Grand  Review,  and  the  marching 
commands  and  Commanders.  Notes 495 

Appendix  III.  The  Oration,  delivered  a generation  later. — 
Description  by  General  Francis  A.  Walker  of  the  Grand  Re- 
view  531 

Index 553 


12  PREFACE. 

Historical  Society  of  Edinburgh  (18S4),  and 
to  the  Official  Records  of  the  Thar  of  the  Re- 
bellion, as  published  under  Acts  of  Congress, 
for  the  presentation  of  the  pages  thrown  to- 
gether in  this  volume.  To  General  James 
Grant  Wilson,  author  of  the  Life  of  Gen- 
eral Grant  in  the  Great  Commander  series, 
special  acknowledgment  and  thanks  are  ten- 
dered for  copies  of  the  map  of  the  Appomat- 
tox region  loaned  from  that  work. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


New  York,  Sept,  1904. 


LAST  HOURS  OF  SHERIDAN’S 
CAVALRY. 


CHAPTER  I. 


The  situation  stated— The  forty  miles  of  line— Lee’s  desperate 
assault  to  break  through  at  Fort  Steadman  on  25th  of  March. 
— The  new  dispositions  made  by  Grant  on  the  26th,  27th  and 
28th  of  March.— Sheridan’s  arrival  on  March  27th.— His  com- 
mand described.— It  started  March  29th. — The  Second  and 
Fifth  Corps  also  relieved  and  marching. — Passing  Reams- 
Station  Battlefield.— Malone’s  “ Bridge.”— Dinwiddie  Court- 
House. — Thursday,  March  80th,  gloomy.— The  roads. — The 
army  working. — The  continuous  line  of  battle  twenty-eight 
miles  long. — A wet,  doleful  and  laborious  day  with  high  ac- 
complishments.— Some  dispatches. 


The  long  lines  of  the  Union  and  Rebel 
armies  were  confronting  each  other  about 
Petersburg.  Within  easy  musket  range,  from 
the  Charles  City  road  to  Richmond,  north  of 
the  James  river,  crossing  both  the  Appomat- 
tox and  the  James,  and  running  along  the 
south  side  of  Petersburg,  away  to  the  west 
beyond  Hatcher’s  run,  a distance  of  nearly 
forty  miles,  were  two  continuous  lines  of  rifle 
pits  and  forts,  skirmish  lines  and  batteries 
and  earthworks  of  every  conceivable  size  and 

13 


14 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


shape  behind  which,  on  both  sides,  stretched 
the  camps  of  troops  from  every  state  of  the 
Union.  Lee’s  army  on  the  north,  represent- 
ing the  last  hope  of  an  effete  and  rebellious 
oligarchy;  Grant’s  army  on  the  south,  repre- 
senting the  industry,  intelligence,  nationality, 
wealth,  and  power  of  an  outraged  and  deter- 
mined people. 

While  there  was  in  one  army  that  desperate 
valor  which  broke  through  the  Union  lines  at 
dawn  on  the  25th  of  March,  and  captured 
Fort  Steadman,  there  was  with  the  other  a 
calm,  heroic  determination,  that  conscious- 
ness of  right  and  might  which  the  same  morn- 
ing retook  that  stronghold  from  the  enemy 
and  sent  him  “ whirling  ” beyond  his  own  en- 
trenchments. The  Rebel  army  was  recover- 
ing from  the  shock,  and  before  the  Union 
troops  had  appreciated  the  extent  of  this  hand- 
some battle  and  victory,  won  by  the  Ninth 
corps  alone,  the  lieutenant-general  had  opened 
that  “ short,  sharp,  and  decisive  ” campaign 
which,  in  eleven  days , resulted  not  only  in  the 
capture  of  Petersburg  and  Richmond,  but  of 
the  veteran  host  which  upheld  the  rebellion, 
and  with  which  the  brave  old  Army  of  the 
Potomac  had  waged  three  years  of  bloody 
combat. 

Following  the  battle  of  Fort  Steadman, 


SHERIDANS  CAVALRY. 


15 


were  important  movements  of  troops  from 
the  north  to  the  south  side  of  the  James  river, 
and  other  new  dispositions  took  place  on  the 
27th  and  28th  of  March.  But  Grant’s  army 
cannot  be  said  to  have  commenced  its  cam- 
paign until  Wednesday,  March  29.  To  give 
a full  and  accurate  narrative  of  the  great 
events  happening  during  the  succeeding 
eleven  days  is  the  professional  duty  of  the 
future  historian,  by  the  light  of  all  the  evi- 
dence that  time,  labor,  and  official  reports 
may  produce ; while,  as  the  sailor  must  “ spin 
his  yarn,”  I only  assert  the  privilege  to  chat 
away  as  we  do  around  the  bivouac  fire  by  the 
dim  twilight  after  the  battle. 

Starting,  then,  with  the  advance  of  Sheri- 
dan’s cavalry  early  on  the  morning  of  Wed- 
nesday, March  29,  we  soon  learn  that  the 
army  is  in  general  motion.  Sheridan’s  com- 
mand consisted  at  this  time  entirely  of 
cavalry,  accompanied  by  a few  light  guns. 
It  comprised  two  wings — one  of  them  the  two 
divisions  formerly  of  the  Army  of  the  Poto- 
mac, but  more  recently  having  arrived  with 
Sheridan  from  the  Army  of  the  Shenandoah, 
and  who,  en  route,  had  just  been  engaged  in 
the  famous  raid,  up  the  valley  towards  Lynch- 
burg, and  in  effecting  considerable  damage  to 
the  James  river  canal,  at  that  time  of  great 


10 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


service  to  the  enemy.  * These  two  divisions 
were  commanded  respectively  by  Brevet 
Major-General  Custer  and  Brigadier-General 
Devin,  and  formed  a corps  under  the  com- 
mand of  Brevet  Major-General  Merritt.  The 
other  wing  comprised  the  one  division  more 
recently  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  but 
now  detached,  and  commanded  by  Major- 
General  Crook. 

General  Devin’s  division  was  known  as 
the  First  division,  and  was  composed  of  three 
brigades  under  Colonel  Stagg,  Colonel  Fitz- 
hugh,  and  General  Gibbs.  General  Custer’s 
was  the  Third  division,  his  brigade  com- 
manders being  Colonels  Pennington,  Wells, 
and  Capehart.  Major-General  Crook’s  com- 
mand was  known  as  the  Second  division — 
more  familiarly,  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
as  “ Gregg’s  old  division  ” — and  comprised 
the  brigades  of  General  Davies,  Brevet  Briga- 
dier-Generals Irwin  Gregg  and  Smith. 

As  soon  as  Sheridan  had  encamped  with 
these  troops  on  the  27th,  between  the  Nor- 
folk & Weldon  and  Norfolk  & Petersburg 
railroads,  and  in  rear  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  a column  of  the  Army  of  the  James, 
under  Major-General  Ord,  and  comprising 
troops  selected  from  the  Twenty-fourth  corps, 

* See  note  at  end  of  this  chapter. 


SHERIDAN 'S  CAVALRY. 


17 


under  Major-General  Gibbon,  and  from  the 
Twenty-fifth  (colored),  under  General  Bir- 
ney,  passed  through  the  camps,  en  route  to 
the  lines  of  the  Second  and  Fifth  corps,  which 
they  relieved  on  the  morning  of  the  29th. 

Thus,  as  the  cavalry  column  moved  that 
morning  towards  Beam’s  station,  there  were 
also  moving  from  their  old  quarters  the 
Second  and  Fifth  corps,  both  in  a southwest- 
erly direction.  The  Second  crossed  Hatcher’s 
run  by  the  Vaughn  road,  and  the  Fifth  lower 
down  the  stream.  Thus  the  grand  advance 
which  was  destined  to  decide  the  fate  of  the 
rebellion  had  fairly  begun.  Every  foot  of 
country  over  which  the  Army  then  trod  will 
become  historical.  Unknown,  uninviting 
places — many  of  them  baptized  in  blood — 
will  receive  a name  to  be  chronicled  as  a 
shrine  for  future  patriot  pilgrims.  Know 
then,  that  the  first  of  these  localities  reached 
by  Sheridan’s  column  was  Ream’s  station ; 
and  as  you  sit  by  the  roadside  while  the  troop- 
ers are  passing  the  old  fortifications  of  this 
field  of  sanguinary  strife  you  may  hear  each 
officer  and  soldier  talking  with  earnest  gesture 
to  his  comrade : “ There  is  where  our  regi- 
ment was,”  says  one.  “ Here  is  the  place 
■where  the  ‘ rebs  ’ broke  through,”  says  an- 
other. “ Don’t  you  remember  those  woods  ? 

2 


18 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


How  thick  the  1 Johnnies  ’ were  in  there  ” ex- 
claims a third.  “ Yes,”  says  a fourth ; “ and 
here  is  where  Hancock’s  headquarters  were 
for  a while.”  “ I tell  yon,”  added  the  en- 
thusiastic cavalier,  after  a moment’s  con- 
templation, “ the  ‘ rebs  ’ played  the  devil  with 
the  ‘ footpads  ’ that  day.  If  it  had  not  been 
for  our  dismounted  cavalry,  they’d  all  been 
1 gobbled ; ’ ” and  many  other  such  scraps  of 
converse  would  drop  from  the  ranks  as  one 
espied  a familiar  landmark. 

It  is  so  natural  for  a horseman  to  enter- 
tain a high  appreciation  of  his  own  import- 
ance when  alongside  of  a pedestrian  that 
cavalrymen  often  feign  a want  of  respect  for 
the  slow  and  steady  infantry  soldier. 

By  nine  o’clock  in  the  morning  the  head 
of  the  column  had  reached  Kowanty  creek,  a 
stream  formed  by  the  junction  of  the  famous 
Hatcher’s  run  and  Gravelly  run  at  a crossing 
known  as  Malone’s  bridge.  Like  many  other 
instances  of  American  nomenclature  the 
name  failed  to  describe  the  place,  there  being 
no  bridge.  Having  been  a picket  post  of  the 
enemy  for  a long  time,  the  bridge  had  been 
destroyed,  and  we  must  halt  to  rebuild  it. 
The  stream  was  about  fifty  feet  wide,  with 
a bottomless  bottom,  and  the  soil  on  its  banks 
of  the  same  character.  The  pontoon  train 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


19 


was  ordered  up,  and  in  the  course  of  three  or 
four  hours,  by  the  assistance  of  the  piers  of 
the  old  bridge  and  the  excellent  oak  timber 
which  the  woods  afforded,  a substantial 
structure  was  put  up. 

It  was  here,  during  the  previous  advance 
of  the  army  to  Hatcher’s  run,  in  Febru- 
ary (’65),  that  an  interesting  skirmish  oc- 
curred between  the  Thirteenth  Pennsylvania 
Cavalry  and  the  Thirteenth  Virginia  (rebels) 
who  were  picketing  this  locality  at  the  time, 
and  in  which  the  latter  were  charged  and 
routed,  losing  many  prisoners  before  they 
could  destroy  the  bridge.  This  may  partially 
explain  why  on  this  occasion  the  enemy 
offered  no  opposition. 

The  column  now  moved  towards  Dinwiddie 
Court-House,  its  head  reaching  there  during 
the  afternoon,  without  further  incident  than 
the  dispersing  of  a party  of  the  Sixteenth 
Horth  Carolina  who  were  attempting  to  barri- 
cade the  roads  leading  to  the  village.  By 
dark  it  was  learned  that  Warren’s  (Fifth) 
corps  had  crossed  the  run,  and  was  within 
communicating  distance  a few  miles  hack  on 
the  highway  known  as  the  Vaughn  road. 
Musketry  firing  had  been  heard  from  that 
direction  during  the  afternoon,  and  it  now 
proved  to  have  been  quite  a severe  engage- 


20 


THE  LAST  HOVES  OF 


ment  between  a division  of  the  Fifth  corps 
and  Bushrod  Johnson’s  division  of  Ander- 
son’s corps.  At  almost  any  other  time  this 
might  have  been  considered  a battle ; it  cer- 
tainly was  a severe  contest,  and  like  so  many 
of  those  Virginian  combats  was  fought  in  the 
woods  with  musketry  only;  yet,  while  the 
losses  approximated  five  hundred  on  each 
side,  it  was  comparatively  resultless.  The 
enemy  withdrew  at  its  conclusion,  believing 
us  too  strong  for  further  aggression. 

The  roads  the  cavalry  had  been  traveling 
were  very  bad.  Custer’s  division,  which  was 
in  the  rear  guarding  the  ammunition  and 
medical  trains,  had  scarcely  made  a quarter 
day’s  march;  but,  with  well  advanced  lines, 
Sheridan,  with  Crook  and  Devin,  halted  at 
Dinwiddie. 

Dinwiddie  Court  House  is  a small  village, 
about  thirteen  miles  from  Petersburg,  and  be- 
fore the  war,  claimed  two  hundred  inhabi- 
tants ; and,  although  the  county  seat,  it  seemed 
to  have  contained  when  in  its  prime  not  over 
half  a dozen  dwellings.  Most  of  them  were 
now  deserted ; all  looked  very  uncomfortable 
and  dilapitated,  the  most  inviting  one  being 
a roomy,  large  frame  building,  of  country- 
tavern  appearance,  with  a long  portico  in 
front,  adapted  to  the  use  of  three-legged 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


21 


chairs  and  tobacco-spitting  loungers.  Con- 
veniently situated,  close  to  the  roadside,  it 
commands,  in  a most  appropriate  connection, 
an  excellent  view  of  the  court-house  and  jail 
opposite.  These  latter  edifices  were  once, 
pro  forma,  the  chief  sources  of  attraction  to 
the  town ; but  a good-sized  room  off  the  porch, 
with  an  elongated  counter,  now  empty,  very 
much  resembled  a “ bar,”  and  suggested  that 
neighboring  “ planters  ” — as  every  simple 
farmer  South  is  aristocratically  termed — 
might  find  in  front  thereof  exciting  and  con- 
genial employment.  The  court-house  be- 
tokened a more  modern  appearance  than  the 
specimens  of  rural  architecture  surrounding 
it,  and  was  built  of  red  brick,  freshly  painted. 
The  roof,  as  though  tottering  under  the  un- 
usual burden  of  new  repairs  and  improve- 
ments thereupon,  was  bolstered  up  by  im- 
mense timbers  supporting  its  eaves.  The 
court-room,  in  the  upper  story,  formed  a most 
excellent  public  dormitory,  and  the  various 
legal  and  county  offices,  on  the  first  floor,  gave 
employment  to  many  a wandering  soldier. 
The  floors  were  irreverently  strewn  with  ab- 
stracts of  title,  venerable  mortgages,  copies  of 
deeds,  and  other  such  interesting  matter  as 
appertains  to  a county  clerk’s  office.  This 
being  one  of  the  oldest  counties  in  Virginia, 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


many  of  the  documents  were  yellow  with  age, 
some  bearing  date  as  far  back  as  the  time  of 
Governor  Dinwiddie,  and,  for  aught  I know, 
furnishing  golden  opportunities  to  the  Ameri- 
can antiquarian.  More  readable  trash  was, 
however,  discovered  in  the  post-office  adjoin- 
ing, where  several  rebel  mails  were  ransacked, 
and,  in  the  absence  of  the  wagons  which  were 
to  have  brought  us  some  supper,  served  as 
our  only  repast  for  the  night. 

Close  by  the  court-house  stood  a neat  little 
frame  church,  prettily  trimmed  inside  with 
evergreen  and  with  neat  appointments.  Re- 
spected by  the  soldiers,  the  church,  though 
much  occupied  as  a convenient  shelter  from 
the  storm,  was  more  fortunate  than  its  neigh- 
boring buildings,  and  escaped  serious  injury. 

Adjoining  stood  a gloomy  and  desolate 
iron-barred  stone  jail,  enclosed  by  a high, 
substantial  fence,  and  presenting  as  uninvit- 
ing and  forbidding  an  abode  for  criminals, 
or  even  for  negroes,  as  the  “ chivalry  ” could 
desire. 

Rear  to  the  court-house  were  also  long 
sheds  and  stalls  for  hundreds  of  horses ; and 
it  did  not  take  a very  great  stretch  of  imagina- 
tion to  picture  to  oneself  the  groups  which  in 
former  times  might  arrive  here  during  “ court 
week  ” to  kill  time,  to  patronize  the  tavern, 


SHE  RID  A N 'S  CAVALRY. 


23 


to  talk  “ State’s  rights,”  perhaps  to  fight 
sham  duels,  and  to  trade  in  horse-flesh  and 
man-flesh. 

How  all  was  deserted.  A dilapidated 
white  woman  or  some  faithful  black  might 
here  and  there  be  found  representing  a home- 
stead, and  beseeching  officers  to  afford  them 
a “ gyard.”  The  public  house  was  partially 
occupied  by  a few  poor  white  people,  refugees 
from  some  other  locality ; but,  with  these  ex- 
ceptions, there  were  few  inhabitants  in  the 
town. 

The  place  had  once  before  been  visited  by 
the  Union  troops  during  the  movements  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  cavalry,  preceding 
the  Battle  of  Hatcher’s  Bun,  in  February, 
1865.  The  Boydtown  plank  road — so  called 
probably  out  of  respect  to  the  very  ancient 
period  when  the  road  was  of  plank,  of  which 
fact  abundant  evidence,  most  annoying  to 
travelers,  yet  remains — runs  through  Din- 
widdie  Court-house,  and  until  quite  recently 
had  afforded  the  enemy  one  of  his  most  useful 
roads  of  communication. 

Sheridan  planted  his  headquarters  flag  in 
front  of  the  venerable  tavern,  and  with  him- 
self  and  staff  thus,  as  a matter  of  course, 
“ put  up  ” at  the  best  hotel  in  the  town. 

The  next  day  (Thursday,  the  30th)  was 


24 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


one  of  those  gloomy  and  stormy  days  that  in 
Virginia  often  have  interfered  seriously 
with  our  military  prospects — one  of  those 
days  which  make  campaigners  cross  and 
anxious.  While  but  little  actual  progress 
was  made  in  the  operations  of  the  army,  prod- 
igies of  labor  were  performed.  The  artil- 
lery, ammunition,  and  supply  trains  were 
almost  immovable,  and  every  corps  on  the 
march  must  build  its  corduroy  road.  Gen- 
eral Custer  was  performing  this  duty  for  the 
cavalry ; while  Merritt’s  other  division,  under 
Devin,  was,  early  in  the  morning,  started 
in  the  advance  on  the  road  from  Dinwiddie 
towards  Ford’s  station  on  the  Southside  rail- 
road. They  had  not  gone  far,  however,  be- 
fore the  °uemy’s  cavalry  were  encountered, 
and  a running  fight  took  place,  which  resulted 
in  finding  the  enemy’s  infantry  well  posted 
at  Five  Forks.  Our  cavalry  was  then,  in 
turn,  repulsed,  but  not  without  serious  casual- 
ties among  officers  and  men,  principally  of 
the  Regular  brigade. 

During  the  day  a portion  of  the  Twenty- 
fourth  corps  had  completed  the  line  of  the 
main  army  between  the  right  of  the  Second 
corps  and  the  left  of  the  Sixth ; so  that,  by 
night,  without  any  serious  fighting,  and  only 
some  slight  skirmishing,  Grant’s  army  had 


SHERIDAN ‘S  CAVALRY. 


25 


taken  up  a continuous  line  of  battle  extend- 
ing from  the  James  river  on  the  right  to  a 
point  towards  the  left  on  the  White  Oak  road, 
within  four  or  five  miles  of  Five  Forks. 
His  troops  were  disposed  in  the  order  of 
the  Ainth  corps  off  the  extreme  right,  to  the 
left  of  which  rested  the  Sixth,  then  the  troops 
of  the  Army  of  the  James,  under  General 
Ord,  then  the  Second  and  Fifth  corps.  On 
the  north  bank  of  the  James  the  troops  were 
principally  colored,  and,  under  the  command 
of  Major-General  Weitzel,  occupied  the  old 
lines  already  established.  The  cavalry,  un- 
der Sheridan,  remained  holding  the  extreme 
left  and  rear  at  Dinwiddie  Court-house,  and 
made  demonstrations  on  the  roads  leading  to 
the  Southside  railroad,  thus  occupying  the 
attention  of  the  strong  force  of  the  enemy  now 
known  to  be  posted  on  the  road  from  the 
court-house  to  Ford’s  station,  and  at  a point 
where  it  is  crossed  by  the  White  Oak  road, 
running  to  Petersburg.  Other  smaller  roads 
also  intersect  here,  and  from  their  number  the 
locality  has  been  popularly  designated  Five 
Forks. 

The  remarkable  position  of  Grant’s  im- 
mense army  challenges  comparison.  A con- 
tinuous line  of  battle  more  than  twenty  miles 
long  is  an  anomaly  in  war.  But  if  the  troops 


26 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


north  of  the  James  be  included  in  this  esti- 
mation, eight  miles  more  may  be  added, 
The  night  was  dark  and  stormy.  Every 
soldier  slept  on  his  arms,  with  the  soft,  wet 
ground  for  his  couch,  ready  at  a moment’s 
warning  to  spring  to  the  deadly  conflict  which 
each  one  expected  at  daylight. 

Meanwhile,  in  the  rear  of  this  extended 
host,  the  mules  floundered,  teamsters  swore, 
the  wagons  upset,  the  vigorous  pioneers  swung 
their  axes,  the  woods  echoed  with  the  heavy 
thunder  of  falling  trees,  and  the  foundation 
of  the  roads,  which  seemed  to  have  receded 
from  beneath  our  feet,  began  to  be  secured 
on  the  timber  of  the  forest.  Thus  only  could 
the  small  trains  which  had  been  ordered  to 
move  with  the  troops  be  brought  near  enough 
to  the  new  lines  now  assumed  to  render  their 
supplies  available  and  to  he  safe  from  a dash 
of  the  enemy’s  cavalry. 

A quiet,  disagreeable,  stormy  day,  of  which 
little  would  be  said  in  the  reports,  and  in 
whose  history  we  can  record  nothing  brilliant, 
the  second  day  of  this  wonderful  campaign 
was  passed ; none  the  less  was  it  laborious 
and  fruitful. 

Notes,  (a.)  Sheridan’s  long  and  swift  march  from 
“ The  Valley  ” and  ai’ound  Richmond  to  join  Grant  on 
the  James  River  gave  the  Richmond  authorities  much 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


27 


anxiety.  Under  date  of  March  17,  1865,  from  his 
Headquarters  at  Petersburg,  General  Lee  writes  to 
the  Confederate  Secretary  of  War,  General  J.  C. 
Breckinridge,  that  “The  enemj'  seems  still  to  be 
collecting  a force  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  which 
indicates  another  movement  as  soon  as  the  weather 
will  permit.  . . I think  these  troops  are  intended  to 
supply  the  place  of  those  under  General  Sheridan, 
which  it  is  plain  General  Grant  has  brought  to  his 
army.  The  addition  of  these  three  [there  were 
brought  but  two]  mounted  divisions  will  give  such 
cavalry,  already  numerically  superior  to  ours,  that  it 
will  enable  him,  I fear,  to  keep  our  communications 
to  Richmond  broken.  Had  ice  been  able  to  use  the 
supplies  which  Sheridan  has  destroyed  in  his  late 
expedition  in  maintaining  our  troops  in  the  Valley 
in  a body,  if  his  march  could  not  have  been  ar- 
rested, it  would  at  least  have  been  rendered  com- 
paratively harmless,  and  we  should  have  been  spared 
the  mortification  that  has  attended  it.  Now,  I do 
not  see  how  we  can  sustain  even  our  small  force  of 
cavalry  around  Richmond.  I have  had  this  morning 
to  send  General  William  H.  F.  Lee’s  division  back  to 
Stony  Creek,  whence  I had  called  it  in  the  last  few 
days,  because  I cannot  provide  it  with  forage.  I 
regret  to  have  to  report  these  difficulties,  but  think 
you  ought  to  be  apprised  of  them  in  order  if  there  is 
any  remedy  it  should  be  applied.  I have  the  honor 
to  be,  your  obedient  servant.  R.  E.  Lee,  General.” 
War  Records,  Vol.  46,  Part  III.  p.  1319. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  the  desertions  were 
reported  to  be  excessively  large,  as  many  as  678  from 
Longstreet’s  Corps  within  nine  days.  [Ibid.  p.  1332. J 
( b .)  General  Lee  wrote  General  Early  on  March  27 
that  “ from  reports  received  Sheridan  is  now  probably 
on  Grant’s  left.”  [War  Rec.  Ibid.  p.  1358]  “Idesire, 
if  possible,  to  collect  cavalry  here  sufficient  to  re- 
sist his  and  Gregg’s  (i.  e.  Crook’s)  combined  force.” 
But  it  was  then  too  late,  as  events  proved.  Sheri- 
dan and  Grant  lost  no  time  in  progressing  their  plans. 
Lee’s  plans  were  yet  unfixed  ; and  on  March  27,  1865, 
it  was  suggested  to  General  Lee  by  General  Long- 
street  that  “instead  of  stripping  our  flank  of  cav- 
alry it  would  be  better  to  send  an  efficient  cavalry 


28 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


force  with  Pickett’s  division  and  two  or  three  bat- 
teries to  watch  Sheridan  and  keep  him  off  our 
railroad,  or  to  re-enforce  General  Johnston  in  case 
Sheridan  goes  to  North  Carolina  to  re-enforce  Sher- 
man. I believe  that  our  cavalry,  supported  by  the 
infantry,  will  be  more  effective  against  the  enemy’s 
raiders  than  our  cavalry  alone.  I believe  that  such 
a force,  in  proper  hands,  will  be  able  to  frustrate 
object  of  enemy,  as  nearly  all  of  his  horses  must  be 
somewhat  exhausted.  J.  Longstreet.  Lieutenant 
General.”  [Ibid.  1357.] 

The  next  day,  28th  March,  1865,  this  officer  in  re- 
sponse to  General  Lee  sent  him  the  following  dis- 
patch : 

“ Headquarters,  First  Army  Corps,  March  28,  1865. 
General  R.  E.  Lee,  Commanding.se.  : Your  telegram 
asking  if  we  can  spare  General  Pickett’s  division  as  a 
supporting  force  to  our  cavalry  is  received.  I sug- 
gested that  it  should  be  sent  on  that  service  because  I 
was  apprehensive  that  our  railroad  would  be  in  danger 
of  being  broken  up  behind  us,  leaving  us  without 
supplies  sufficient  to  hold  Richmond  until  our  com- 
munication South  could  be  re-established  ; or  in  case 
Sheridan  went  to  North  Carolina,  his  mounted  force 
would  be  too  formidable  for  that  of  General  John- 
ston’s, and  that  General  Johnston’s  army  would  be 
in  great  danger  if  we  should  not  re-enforce  him.  I 
do  not  think  that  we  can  well  spare  the  division,  but 
I think  that  we  would  choose  a lesser  risk  by  sparing 
it  if  Sheridan’s  cavalry  makes  either  of  these  moves 
contemplated  than  we  would  by  holding  him  here  to 
await  the  result  of  these  operations. 

The  enemy  seems  now  to  count  upon  taking  Rich- 
mond by  raiding  upon  our  lines  of  communication  and 
not  by  attacking  our  lines  of  work.  I think,  there- 
fore, that  we  should  endeavor  to  put  a force  in  the 
field  that  can  contend  against  that  of  the  enemy.  If 
Grant  sends  off  his  cavalry  he  can  hardly  intend  to 
make  any  general  move  of  his  main  army  until  its  re- 
turn. In  every  aspect  of  affairs,  so  far  as  I am  ad- 
vised, I think  that  the  greater  danger  is  from  keep- 
ing too  close  within  our  trenches. 

If  we  can  remain  where  we  are  independently  of 
the  railroad,  and  if  General  Johnston  would  be  safe 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


29 


■with  such  a force  operating  against  him  in  addition 
to  Sherman’s,  we  had  better  keep  the  division  here. 
[They  were  not  kept  “ here  ” but  were  transferred 
to  the  extreme  right  of  Lee’s  army,  and  supported 
his  cavalry  in  the  battles  of  31st  March  around  Din- 
widdie  Court-House  and  April  1 at  Five  Forks.  See 
Lee’s  dispatch  to  the  Secretary  of  War  of  April  1, 
elsewhere  quoted.]  You  know  much  more  about  all 
those  points  than  I do  and  are  much  better  able  to 
decide  upon  them 

J.  Longstreet,  Lieutenant-General 

(Same  Volume,  page  1360.) 


I 


30 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


CHAPTER  II  * 


Friday,  March  31st,  developed  Union  advantages  from  the 
storm. — How  Grant  commanded  his  own  and  Lee’s  army. — 
The  Fifth  Corps  has  a curious  encounter,  but  recovers  and 
gains  its  point.— Sheridan  fails  to  secure  Five  Forks.— His 
Brigades  flglit  all  day  a series  of  separate  battles.— Enemy 
mystified  but  developed. — The  “ War  Horse  ” General  Thomas 
C.  Devin.— His  narrow  escape. — The  First  Maine  Cavalry 
and  its  “seven  shooters.”— Saving  the  horses. — A masterly 
retreat. — Sheridan  wanted  everything  to  “ go  in,”  would  not 
admit  defeat. — Battle  of  Dinwiddie  covered  many  square 
mile*.— Communication  with  the  fighting  regiments  often 
impossible.— An  aide  rode  into  the  backs  of  rebel  infantry. — 
Sheridan  attacked  it,  and  thus  protected  the  flank  of  the 
army.— The  countercharges  at  sunset. — Fighting  to  music.— 
The  rail  barricade. — The  new  short  line. — Sheridan  rides  it.— 
The  quicksands  unhorse  the  Custer  troopers.— Welcome  dark- 
ness.— Sheridan  to  Grant  and  the  response.— A vigilant  night. 
— Lee’s  golden  opportunity.— The  last  military  advantage  of 
his  life. — His  omissions. — The  order  to  AVarren  commanding 
the  Fifth  Corps.— The  Battle  of  Dinwiddie  summed  up. 


Friday  morning,  March  31,  dawned  with 
Aveather  no  more  promising.  Sheridan  and 
Crook  had  again  passed  a night  at  their  head- 
quarters in  the  old  Dimviddie  tavern.  Cus- 
ter Avith  his  whole  force  was  still  at  Avork  ex- 
tricating and  pushing  forAvard  the  necessary 
trains  Avhile  the  remainder  of  the  cavalry 

* See  note  at  end  of  Chapter  III. 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


31 


corps  under  Devin,  was  disposed  in  a threat- 
ening attitude  toward  the  enemy  who  were 
defending  the  Southside  railroad.  Crook 
maintained  the  communication  with  the  in- 
fantry of  the  army,  and  watched  the  country 
to  the  left  and  west  of  the  Court-House. 

The  scouts  this  morning  confirmed  the  news 
of  the  whereabouts  of  that  main  part  of  the 
rebel  cavalry  who  before  the  opening  of  the 
campaign  were  encamped  near  Stony  Creek 
Station,  on  the  Petersburg  & Weldon  rail- 
road. Stony  creek  is  a tributary  of  the  Hot- 
taway  river,  and  runs  in  a southeasterly  di- 
rection through  Dinwiddie  county.  Stony 
creek  is  a deep  and  swift  stream,  at  most  sea- 
sons of  the  year  hardly  fordable  for  horse- 
men. The  railroad  bridge  across  it  had  been 
destroyed  by  the  Union  troops  during  the 
winter,  but  the  station  at  that  point  had  been 
re-occupied  by  the  rebels  and  used  as  a depot 
for  supplies,  whence  they  were  wagoned 
around  the  lines  of  the  Union  army,  and  by 
the  Bovdtown  plank-road  to  Petersburg. 
Along  this  route,  too,  was  the  main  telegraph 
and  mail  communication  to  Weldon  and 
other  important  points  south.  It  was  at  this 
convenient  location  that  Lee  had  established 
his  principal  cavalry  camps,  which  at  the 
same  time  served  as  a strong  corps  of  obser- 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


32 

vation  against  any  expedition  of  Union  troops 
toward  North  Carolina.  A movement  of 
this  character  was,  indeed,  every  day  becom- 
ing more  likely,  as  Sherman  was  daily  ad- 
vancing northward. 

The  sudden  movement  of  Grant’s  armies 
to  the  west,  with  the  stormy  weather,  which, 
while  a serious  cause  of  delay  in  other  re- 
spects, had  swollen  these  streams  in  the  rear, 
had  prevented  the  annoyance  of  reconnoiter- 
ing  parties  from  this  force  of  the  enemy,  and 
had  completely  severed  this  cavalry  at  Stony 
creek  from  Lee. 

To  rejoin  or  communicate  with  him,  there- 
fore, a long  detour  was  necessary  to  the  west 
of  Dinwiddie  Court-House,  occupying,  with 
the  condition  of  the  roads  at  this  time,  more 
than  a day’s  march. 

Of  this  campaign  it  has  been  aptly  re- 
marked that  Grant  commanded  his  own  and 
Lee’s  army.  It  appears  then,  that  the  per- 
formance of  this  tedious  and  uninteresting 
march  -was  the  duty  assigned  by  Grant  as  the 
most  convenient  employment  for  the  rebel 
cavalry  while  his  own  dispositions  were  being 
completed.  This  force,  however,  did  not  con- 
sist of  more  than  a division,  so  much  cavalry 
some  time  previously  having  been  sent  by  Lee 
to  harass  the  march  of  Sherman  in  North 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


33 


Carolina.  But  by  Friday  morning  tbis  com- 
mand bad  arrived  along  Chamberlain’s  creek, 
a small  run  west  of  the  Court-House,  tribu- 
tary to  Stony  creek,  and  was  in  a position  to 
co-operate  with  the  enemy  in  the  vicinity  of 
Five  Forks. 

Early  Friday  morning,  also,  Warren’s 
corps  moved  to  concentrate  near  a locality 
known  as  Butler’s  bouse  on  the  plank  road, 
not  far  from  its  intersection  by  the  Quaker 
road,  which  latter  highway  leads  directly  to 
the  White  Oak  road  and  thence  to  the  coveted 
Southside  or  Lynchburg  & Petersburg  rail- 
road. The  heavy  storm  which  had  been  an- 
noying our  army  seemed  to  have  spent  its 
force,  and  during  the  forenoon  the  sun  es- 
sayed its  assistance  in  our  behalf  and  shone 
quite  pleasantly. 

The  Fifth  corps  under  Warren,  with 
Ayres’s  division  leading,  was  by  ten  o’clock 
ready  to  advance,  and  moved  to  dislodge  the 
enemy  and  to  gain  the  White  Oak  road 
already  mentioned.  If  successful  in  this  en- 
deavor, the  enemy  at  Five  Forks  and  in  front 
of  Sheridan,  in  order  to  maintain  his  com- 
munication and  co-operation  with  the  forces 
about  Petersburg,  would  have  been  compelled 
to  withdraw  at  least  to  the  north  side  of 
Hatcher’s  Run — which  is  here  a narrow, 
3 


34 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


crooked  stream  with  rugged  and  densely 
wooded  banks.  This  was  emphatically  what 
is  termed  in  military  parlance  a “ difficult 
country.”  After  making  their  way  through 
marshy  pines  and  thick  forests,  over  swampy 
ditches  or  across  uncertain  quicksands,  the 
lines  of  the  infantry  pushed  forward  with 
some  skirmishing,  and  found  the  rebels  well 
posted  before  the  desired  road  was  reached. 

Here,  now,  was  likely  to  be  a battle;  but 
how  much  of  a one  was  ever  fought  will  prob- 
ably never  be  known,  unless  described  by 
some  one  of  its  actual  participants.  The 
enemy’s  warm  reception  broke  our  advance, 
and  it  gave  way  in  confusion.  Taking  in- 
stant advantage  of  this,  away  dashed  the  en- 
emy from  his  field-works  with  an  exhibition 
of  that  old  esprit,  which  in  times  gone  by — 
as  at  Malvern  Hill — had  flung  its  impetuous 
battalions  before  our  lines.  But  now  they 
were  successful  and  swept  everything  before 
them.  Our  men  found  themselves  retracing 
their  steps  with  greater  alacrity  than  con- 
venience. 

Ayres  fell  back  on  Crawford,  and  his 
division  in  turn  on  Griffin.  Even  before  some 
of  the  troops  had  yet  moved  to  perform  the 
part  assigned  to  them  in  the  day’s  operations, 
and  while  they  still  rested  in  bivouac,  the 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


35 


rebels  interfered  with  their  domestic  com- 
forts. As  though  wanting  breath  for  further 
pursuit  or  astonished  at  their  success,  after 
driving  the  Fifth  corps  back  to  the  Boydtown 
plank  road,  the  pursuit  was  discontinued. 
The  scenes  of  this  morning  are  related  as  dis- 
graceful. There  was  little  artillery  used  and 
after  the  first  few  volleys  of  attack,  there  was 
one  impetuous  retreat  to  the  music  of  a pat- 
tering skirmish  fire,  with  now  and  then  a 
round  of  musketry  as  its  only  redeeming 
feature.  As  remarked  by  general  officers  high 
in  command  at  the  time,  the  troops  seemed 
to  be  lost  to  all  sense  of  influence  and  author- 
ity of  their  officers. 

The  causes  of  this  unfortunate  affair  must 
be  sought  for  among  those  of  the  inexplicable 
panics  which  sometimes  seize  and  control 
large  bodies  of  men,  and  of  which  in  this  as  in 
other  wars  there  are  in  the  history  of  both 
armies  examples  for  the  study  of  the  philoso- 
pher. 

Great  anxiety  would  now  be  cast  over  the 
operations  of  the  Army;  but  General  Hum- 
phreys, who  was  commanding  the  Second 
corps  on  the  immediate  right  of  the  Fifth,  on 
learning  the  position  of  affairs  sent  Miles’s 
division  to  attack  the  enemy  in  flank.  Scarcely 
then  had  the  pursuit  ceased  before  this  was 


36 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


vigorously  undertaken,  and  the  rebels  in  their 
turn  were  driven  back  again  to  the  woods. 

The  Fifth  corps,  too,  was  soon  again  ral- 
lied and  advanced,  Griffin’s  division  this  time 
leading.  The  ground  lost  in  the  morning 
was  re-occupied ; the  works,  where  the  enemy 
in  force  was  first  encountered,  were  most 
gallantly  charged  and  captured  ; and  one  of 
the  objects  of  the  day’s  operations  was  ac- 
complished by  the  occupation  of  a position 
on  the  White  Oak  road. 

Meanwhile,  however,  with  a quick  appre- 
ciation of  their  temporary  advantage  over  the 
Fifth  corps  the  rebels  had  turned  their  atten- 
tion to  Sheridan,  and  with  a strong  force  of 
light  infantry  under  Pickett  attempted  to  dis- 
cover an  assailable  point  on  his  lines,  if  the 
spider-legged  position  of  the  cavalry  corps  at 
this  point,  with  detachments,  patrols,  guards 
and  picket  posts  in  every  direction,  with  pro- 
priety can  be  said  to  have  formed  a “ line.” 

During  the  morning  General  Devin’s  di- 
vision was  moved  forward  in  order  to  obtain 
possession  of  Five  Forks.  Davies’s  brigade, 
too,  of  Crook’s  division  had  been  sent  to  his 
support,  and  posted  to  the  west  of  the  road 
leading  from  Dinwiddie  to  Five  Forks,  in 
order  to  defend  the  fords  over  Chamberlain’s 
creek.  The  remainder  of  Crook’s  division 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


37 


■watched  the  crossings  of  this  and  Stony  creek 
further  to  the  south  and  west.  General 
Gibbs’s  brigade  remained  on  the  main  road 
about  two  miles  from  the  Court-House,  while 
Devin  with  his  remaining  two  brigades  under 
Stagg  and  Fitzhugh  pushed  on  to  Five  Forks. 

General  Thomas  C.  Devin  is  most  em- 
phatically a self-made  man.  Before  the  war 
he  was  quite  prominently  connected  with  the 
militia  in  Hew  York,  and  he  entered  the  ser- 
vice as  colonel  at  the  head  of  the  Sixth 
regiment  Hew  York  volunteer  cavalry.  His 
command  was  long  known  in  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  as  one  of  the  few  cavalry  regiments 
which  in  the  earlier  campaigns  of  that  Army, 
could  he  deemed  thoroughly  reliable.  It  was 
held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  the  late  General 
John  Buford,  between  whom  and  General 
Devin  there  grew  up  a strong  mutual  respect 
and  attachment.  While  under  General  Bu- 
ford’s command  Devin  was  frequently  rec- 
ommended for  promotion,  but  the  unfor- 
tunate death  of  the  former — than  whom  no 
cavalry  general  ever  associated  with  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  was  ever  held  in  higher  es- 
timation— prevented  the  subject  from  being 
pressed  at  an  opportune  moment.  Devin 
continued  as  colonel  to  command  a brigade  of 
cavalry  until  near  the  expiration  of  his  first 


38 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


three  years’  term  of  service,  when  he  was 
ordered  home  with  his  regiment  on  “ veteran 
furlough.”  He  had  been  constantly  in  the 
field,  and  had  rendered  most  valuable  services 
in  many  campaigns,  as  the  official  reports  re- 
cord ; hut  his  native  modesty  served  to  make 
him  probably  less  known  in  the  Union  Army 
than  to  the  rebels  against  whom  he  so  fre- 
quently fought.  Although  having  served 
with  the  same  rank  for  three  years,  with  a 
true  patriotism  he  re-enlisted  with  his  regi- 
ment for  the  war.  He  attracted  the  notice  of 
Sheridan  early  in  the  first  Virginia  cam- 
paigns of  that  officer,  and  after  the  battle  of 
Winchester  he  was  deputed  to  bear  to  the  War 
Department  some  trophies  of  the  victory. 

Shortly  after  presenting  the  captured 
colors  he  received  his  first  promotion  in  an 
appointment  as  brevet  brigadier-general,  the 
Secretary  of  War  taking  pains  at  the  same 
time  to  express  his  regret  that  there  was  not 
just  then  a vacancy  of  a full  brigadiership  to 
which  he  might  be  appointed.  Hot  long 
afterward,  however,  he  received  the  appoint- 
ment, and  at  the  close  of  the  last  campaign 
was  hrevetted  major-general. 

His  blunt  soldiership,  sound  judgment,  his 
prompt  and  skilful  dispositions  for  battle,  his 
long  period  of  active  service,  his  bulldog 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


39 


tenacity,  and  his  habitual  reliability  fully 
entitled  him  to  the  sobriquet  among  his  offi- 
cers and  soldiers  of  the  old  “ war  horse,” 
“ Sheridan’s  hard  hitter,”  and  the  like. 

General  Devin  found  the  force  opposing 
him  near  Five  Forks  to  consist  of  infantry 
as  well  as  cavalry.  With  some  dismounted 
regiments  our  men  slowly  forced  their  way 
over  the  broken  country  adjoining  the  road, 
though  not  without  some  loss,  until  they 
reached  the  cross-roads.  But  Devin  was  not 
allowed  to  remain  there  undisturbed. 

The  rebels  moved  along  Chamberlain’s 
creek  in  a southerly  direction,  and  seemed 
desirous  of  crossing  and  thus  to  turn  our 
left.  They  attempted  it  in  front  of  Davies’ 
brigade;  but  as  he  had  a gallant  regi- 
ment in  front  of  them  armed  with  “ seven- 
shooters  ” this  effort  was  at  first  unsuccessful. 
2STow  their  cavalry  tried  to  force  a crossing 
in  front  of  Smith’s  brigade,  posted  lower 
down  the  stream.  But  this  resultless  skir- 
mishing did  not  suit  some  of  our  high-spirited 
troopers.  Those  in  this  portion  of  the  field 
belonged  to  the  Second  Cavalry  division, 
which  was  not  ’detached  with  other  cavalry 
from  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  serve  in  the 
valley  of  the  Shenandoah  with  Sheridan ; and 
after  the  glorious  conquests  of  their  comrades 


40 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


in  that  beautiful  country,  the  reunion  of  the 
commands  at  this  time  produced  a generous 
rivalry  which  was  highly  inspiriting.  Here 
an  opportunity  for  a handsome  “ dash  ” pre- 
sented itself.  Certainly  the  enemy  could 
not  have  infantry  so  distant  from  their  main 
lines  at  Petersburg,  and  so  liable  to  be  com- 
pletely cut  olf  from  communication  there- 
with at  any  time  by  our  cavalry;  and  should 
they  have  only  cavalry  in  front  of  us  what  do 
we  care  for  that  ? So  thought  some  gallant 
fellows  who  sought  and  obtained  authority  to 
cross  and  attack.  A battalion  of  the  Second 
Hew  York  Mounted  Rifles  under  Major  Chad- 
bourne  (of  the  First  Maine  Cavalry),  boldly 
forded  the  creek  in  the  face  of  the  rebel  skir- 
mishers, scattering  or  capturing  them;  and 
charging  vigorously  up  the  road  thought 
theirs  an  easy  victory ; when  lo ! the  little 
band  came  upon  a “ hornet’s  nest.”  The 
woods  about  them  were  alive  with  rebel  in- 
fantry who  considered  them  a sure  and  easy 
capture.  Major  Chadbourne  was  seriously 
wounded  and  with  others  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  enemy ; but  the  remainder  cut  their 
way  back  again  with  the  important  informa- 
tion gained  by  the  exploit,  while  the  rebel 
cavalry  rallied  and  in  their  turn  now  followed 
our  men  in  pursuit.  They  were  allowed  to 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


41 


cross,  and  when  fairly  over  were  very  seri- 
ously handled,  losing  Colonel  Savage  and 
other  leading  officers  and  many  men,  and 
were  driven  back  again  in  great  confusion.* 
By  this  time  the  rebel  infantry  in  front  of 
the  Fifth  corps  were  moving  in  strong  force 
through  Five  Forks  and  toward  the  left  of 
Sheridan’s  lines.  Again  the  crossing  where 
Davies  was  posted  was  vigorously  attacked 
and  as  stoutly  defended.  But  the  stream  was 
fordable  and  soon  both  above  and  below  him 
on  the  right  and  on  the  left  of  his  line,  this 

* [Note. — General  Tremain  is  in  error  when  he 
speaks  of  a battalion  of  the  Second  New  York  Mounted 
Rifles  ; the  battalion  was  not  of  that  regiment,  but 
was  from  the  First  Maine  Cavalry  and  under  the 
command  of  Captain  John  D.  Myrick.  Major  Chad- 
bourne  was  in  command  of  the  Second  New  York 
Mounted  Rifles  by  special  detail,  and  was  stationed 
in  the  woods  on  the  right  of  the  road  leading  to  the 
ford.  He  was  wounded  but  not  captured.  The  deter- 
mining charge  of  that  morning  in  which  the  Rebs 
were  severely  handled  was  made  by  the  remaining 
two  battalions  of  the  First  Maine  Cavalry.  This 
charge  was  seen  by  Colonel  Newhall  of  Sheridan’s 
Staff.  General  Tremain  also  states  the  sequence  of 
attacks  along  Chamberlain’s  Bed  in  different  order 
than  that  given  in  General  Sheridan’s  Official  Re- 
port which  will  appear  a few  pages  in  advance. — 
Ed.  Maine  Bugle.]  * * * 


42 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


gallant  officer  found  the  rebel  infantry  pour- 
ing across  the  creek. 

Meanwhile  Devin  had  been  obliged  to 
retire  from  his  advanced  position  on  the 
White  Oak  road,  and  was  assuming  a line  to 
protect  himself  as  well  as  the  right  flank  of 
Davies.  Devin,  too,  now  found  rebels  on 
three  sides  of  him.  Which  way  should  he 
face  ? On  what  plan  was  he  required  to 
fight  ? His  orders  did  not  cover  the  present 
emergency  and  his  military  education  induced 
him  always  to  fight  unless  positive  instruc- 
tions contemplated  otherwise. 

Having  only  at  that  point  the  two  brigades 
of  Hitzhugh  and  Stagg,  Devin  posted  them 
across  the  main  road  from  Dinwiddie  to  Five 
Forks,  and  assumed  a line  from  Gravelly  Run 
on  the  right  to  Davies’s  brigade  on  the  left, 
giving  orders  to  hold  these  positions,  and 
sending  his  last  unoccupied  staff  officer  to 
inform  General  Merritt  or  General  Sheridan 
of  the  state  of  affairs.  Devin  himself,  now 
accompanied  by  only  one  orderly,  galloped 
down  the  main  road  after  his  other  brigade 
under  General  Gibbs  which  had  been  left  in 
the  rear  as  a reserve.  Pistt,  pistt,  pistt, 
greeted  his  ears  as  he  rode  hastily  by  and 
heeded  not  the  deadly  “ minies.” 

Soon,  however,  a stern  voice  directly  in 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


43 


front  commanded  “ Halt,  thar ; surrender, 

you  d Yankee  ! ” not  addressing 

him  by  his  official  title.  But  the  veteran 
“ war  horse  ” was  not  yet  ready  to  surrender. 
Quickly  wheeling  his  horse  he  spurred  be- 
yond the  temporary  jurisdiction  of  his  re- 
bellious countryman,  regardless  of  the  harm- 
less bullets  which  followed  him,  and  returned 
to  the  immediate  direction  of  the  troops  he 
had  just  posted.  It  must  have  been  a delight- 
ful reflection  to  appreciate  that  every  avenue 
of  communication  between  the  main  army 
and  his  little  band  of  troopers  was  occupied  in 
force  by  rebel  infantry.  Is  it  a wonder  that 
many  men  become  prematurely  gray  in  wTar  ? 

Davies  with  his  regiments  dismounted,  had 
made  a gallant  stand  against  overwhelming 
numbers;  but  had  been  obliged  to  give  way, 
and  he  was  now  retiring  by  the  right  flank, 
and  approaching  Devin’s  command.  An 
aide  had  succeeded  in  conveying  orders  to 
General  Devin  to  move  all  the  detached  force 
then  with  him  across  the  country  to  the  plank 
road  by  which  he  should  march  to  Dinwiddie, 
and  assist  the  cavalry  there  engaged.  This 
was  indeed  the  only  movement  left  for  these 
troops,  and  orders  for  its  execution  were  be- 
ing anticipated  by  their  commanders.  Yet 
it  was  by  no  means  an  easy  task  slowly  and 


44 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


orderly  to  withdraw  from  the  immediate 
front  of  a successful  enemy,  well  disciplined 
and  equipped — for  indeed  these  troops  were 
the  flower  of  Lee’s  army, — a dismounted 
cavalry  force  out  of  ammunition,  wearied 
from  several  hours’  severe  fighting,  shaken  in 
the  loss  of  officers,  and  encumbered  in  a thick 
and  broken  country  with  an  unwieldy  crowd 
of  “ led  horses.” 

It  may  be  interesting  to  unmilitary  readers 
to  say  that  these  “ led  horses  ” form  a most 
important  feature  in  our  cavalry  warfare. 
When  a command  is  obliged  to  dismount, 
which  frequently  occurs  in  wooded  country, 
every  fourth  man  remains  mounted  to  care 
for  four  horses.  Under  a subordinate  officer 
the  horses  are  then  located  in  an  open  field, 
if  possible,  sheltered  from  the  fire  and  ob- 
servation of  the  enemy,  and  where  the  ani- 
mals will  be  liable  to  no  sudden  panic.  Of 
course  with  any  considerable  change  in  the 
relative  positions  of  the  troops  these  horses 
must  be  moved  to  correspond,  an  operation 
often  extremely  hazardous.  So  on  this 
memorable  day  to  maneuver  these  masses  of 
led  horses  for  miles  across  a thickly  wooded 
country  without  any  defined  roads,  was  no 
inconsiderable  task.  Did  you  ever  ride  one 
horse  and  at  the  same  time  lead  two  or  per- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


45 


haps  three  others  ? Try  it  in  a grove  of  young 
trees ; imagine  an  enemy  in  close  pursuit, 
when,  consequently,  you  are  rather  hurried, 
you  may  feel  well  assured  that  if  two  of  the 
animals  go  with  you  to  the  left  of  a tree,  the 
other  two  will  inevitably  choose  the  opposite 
side.  Under  these  circumstances  is  it  not 
quite  likely  that  you  would  feel  some  solici- 
tude and  perhaps  yield  to  profanity  ? Per- 
haps not.  Yet  I do  opine  that  this  was  one 
of  the  chief  causes  which  has  led  to  the  reputa- 
tion of  cavalrymen  expressed  in  the  popular 
belief  that  the  highest  perfection  of  profane 
accomplishment  is  “ to  swear  like  a trooper.” 
Well ! on  this  day  horses  and  trees  were  seri- 
ously intermingled.  Moreover  the  saddles 
were  filled  with  blankets,  overcoats,  rations, 
sabers,  forage,  “ nicknacks,”  and  all  the 
paraphernalia  appertaining  to  a campaigner ; 
while  the  uncertain  paths  were  occasionally 
obstructed  by  rail  fences.  These  were  among 
the  impedimenta.  But  in  the  lines  of  rebel 
soldiers  who  maintained  a continual  fire,  and 
whom  our  dismounted  men  were  endeavoring 
to  keep  at  a respectful  distance,  there  were 
strong  powers  of  acceleration. 

The  results  of  the  retreat  were  various — 
depending  in  many  instances  on  the  temper 
and  disposition  of  the  “ fourth  man  ” who 


46 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


led  tlie  horses,  as  well  as  on  the  judgment  of 
officers ; hut  on  the  whole  highly  creditable  to 
all  concerned.  Few  horses  not  shot,  were 
lost,  and  the  enemy  gained  no  very  material 
advantage  in  the  pursuit.  On  the  contrary, 
the  rebels  seemed  much  perplexed  by  the 
stubbornness  and  fertility  of  resource  dis- 
played by  the  three  brigades  of  Davies,  Fitz- 
hugh  and  Stagg,  which  toward  evening 
reached  the  plank  road  in  tolerably  good 
order.  Ere  this,  however,  the  enemy  had  de- 
sisted from  the  pursuit  for  reasons  about  to  be 
mentioned. 

These  operations  were  by  no  means  the 
chief  among  those  of  the  battle  of  Dinwiddie. 
Indeed  this  scene  was  distant  from  the  Court- 
House  itself.  A few  weeks  previously,  too, 
a skirmish  did  take  place  directly  at  the 
Court-House,  while  the  present  conflict  oc- 
curred chiefly  about  the  country  to  the  north 
and  west  of  the  village  proper.  Hence,  for 
the  sake  of  history,  this  engagement  should 
be  distinguished  as  the  battle  of  Dinwiddie. 

Meanwhile  Crook  and  Custer  "were  not  idle. 
Custer  was  improving  the  good  weather,  and 
worked  vigorously  at  moving  up  the  trouble- 
some trains.  In  the  course  of  the  afternoon’s 
engagement  he  was  ordered  to  leave  one  bri- 
gade to  attend  to  the  wagons,  while  with  the 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY.  47 

two  others  he  should  repair  to  the  scene  of 
action. 

Crook  had  early  in  the  afternoon  drawn 
Gregg’s  brigade  away  from  the  village  toward 
the  field.  Smith’s  brigade,  which,  it  will  be 
remembered,  was  posted  to  the  west  to  check 
the  enemy  from  crossing  Chamberlain’s  bed, 
found  itself  constantly  engaged  with  rebel 
cavalry  attempting  to  make  the  ford.  The 
main  portion  of  the  enemy’s  cavalry  appeared 
to  he  here,  and  obstinately  persistent  in  their 
desire  to  cross.  With  hastily  constructed  de- 
fenses on  the  banks  of  the  creek,  Smith  as 
obstinately  opposed  them.  He  had  a good 
position  on  a wooded  crest.  His  right,  how- 
ever, necessarily  remained  rather  exposed,  in- 
viting attack,  should  the  rebels  succeed  in 
crossing  by  some  of  the  more  fordable  locali- 
ties above  his  front.  This,  as  we  have  seen, 
their  infantry  finally  accomplished,  compel- 
ling Davies,  and  in  turn  Devin  also, to  retire* 

* [Note. — The  following  extract  from  Tobie’s  history 
of  the  First  Maine  Cavalry  will  shed  some  light  on  the 
work  on  Smith’s  line.  “ Thus  our  brigade  was  iso- 
lated, on  the  extreme  left  of  a line,  with  no  connec- 
tion on  its  right  and  none  in  its  rear,  till  Custer 
came  up  from  the  wagon  train.  During  all  the  time 
necessary  to  effect  this,  we  bore  back  with  our  car- 
bines and  pistols  the  larger  part  of  the  rebel  cavalry 
re-enforced  by  Pickett’s  infantry.  In  the  morning 


48 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


This  stream  was  along  here  one  or  two 
miles  from  the  main  road  to  Dinwiddie, 
which  important  highway  was  secure  to  us 
only  so  long  as  the  enemy  did  not  cross  the 
creek.  Sheridan  had  just  left  Devin  com- 
paratively quiet,  and  rode  down  to  see  what 
Crook  was  doing.  While  here  an  officer, 
Major  Charles  Treichel  from  Davies,  reported 
to  him  that  a large  force  of  the  enemy  had 
crossed  both  above  and  below  the  lines  of  his 
brigade.  Sheridan  inquired  of  him  if  they 
were  infantry,  to  which  the  officer  replied 
in  the  affirmative.  But  the  little  general 
doubted,  and  vigorously  directed  the  aide  to 
go  back  and  to  say  that  the  crossing  must  be 
held,  adding  quite  as  earnestly,  “ I don’t  want 
any  d — d squadron  fighting,  everything  must 
go  in.”  But  everything  by  this  time  had 
been  “ in,”  and  a few  moments  later  another 
officer  in  attempting  to  communicate  with 
the  same  troops  unexpectedly  encountered  the 
rear  of  a rebel  line  of  battle.  On  learning  of 
this  Sheridan  was  all  energy  and  fire. 

Gregg’s  and  Gibbs’s  brigades  were  quickly 
ordered  to  follow  the  same  path,  and  to  charge 

we  had  fallen  on  their  advancing  and  exultant  lines 
like  an  avalanche,  and  in  the  evening  we  had  stood 
like  a rock  in  the  pathway,  immovable,  while  all  on 
our  right  had  been  rolled  away  like  a garment.”] 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


49 


the  rebel  rear ; and  away  they  rode  to  seek  it. 
The  country  was  hilly  and  wooded,  not  favor- 
able to  a cavalry  charge;  but  the  rebels  were 
soon  found,  and  their  attention  diverted  from 
the  further  pursuit  of  Devin  in  his  move- 
ment toward  the  Boydtown  plank  road.  Thus 
annoyed,  the  enemy  faced  about,  and  were 
deterred  from  a movement  which,  had  it 
been  long  continued,  would  have  seriously  en- 
dangered the  main  lines  of  the  army  (or,  as 
Sheridan  expresses  it,  “ taken  in  flank  and 
rear  the  infantry  line  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  ”). 

Now  occurred  another  hardly-contested 
fight.  The  forces  against  Sheridan  com- 
prised the  best  infantry  division  (Pickett’s) 
of  Lee’s  army,  Wise’s  independent  brigade  of 
infantry,  and  Fitzhugh  Lee’s,  Rosser’s,  and 
W.  H.  F.  Lee’s  cavalry  commands ; while  in 
the  immediate  front  of  this  formidable  array 
the  Union  forces  now  mustered  but  three 
small  brigades  one  of  which — Smith’s — had 
been  engaged  for  several  hours. 

It  was  quite  late  in  the  afternoon ; the  sun 
was  shining  pleasantly,  and  the  field  of  battle 
was  now  in  an  open  country,  favorable  to 
observation,  but  filled  with  treacherous  quick- 
sands. 

To  the  careless  observer  the  surfaces  of  such 

4 


50 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


localities,  so  common  in  Virginia,  bear  no 
peculiar  marks  of  distinction  from  the  ground 
about  them ; but  woe  to  the  horseman  who 
unwittingly  ventures.  Many  an  eager  cour- 
ier was  unhorsed  and  half  buried  by  these 
hidden  enemies.  Appreciating  the  unfavor- 
able character  of  the  ground  for  mounted 
operations  and  the  strength  of  the  opposing 
forces,  as  well  as  the  importance  of  holding 
Dinwiddie,  where  so  many  roads  converged, 
officers  examined  their  watches  with  im- 
patient anxiety  to  determine  how  many  hours 
of  daylight  might  remain  for  this  unequal 
contest.  It  was  hoped  that  by  skilful  ma- 
neuvering Sheridan  might  hold  out  until 
dark,  when  fighting  would  cease  and  new  dis- 
positions be  made  for  the  morrow’s  work.  No 
other  course  could  now  be  attempted. 

Accordingly  every  nerve  was  strained ; all 
was  life,  activity,  and  industry.  Sheridan 
seemed  to  have  infused  his  own  indomitable 
spirit  among  his  subordinates.  New  lines 
across  the  main  road  were  quickly  established, 
where  the  troops  on  retiring  were  ordered  to 
halt,  and  a slight  barricade  of  rails  was 
speedily  constructed  for  its  defense  by  Sheri- 
dan’s own  escort,  under  the  personal  direction 
of  Colonel  Forsyth  of  Sheridan’s  staff.  Here 
the  troops  were  ordered  to  rally,  and  here 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY.  51 

Smith’s  gallant  but  exhausted  brigade  was 
directed  to  retire  when  the  brigade  could  no 
longer  be  of  service  in  the  defense  of  Cham- 
berlain’s crossing. 

If  the  enemy  could  not  be  conquered  to- 
day at  least  he . must  be  overawed.  A few 
pieces  of  artillery,  which,  on  account  of  the 
character  of  the  country,  could  not  have  been 
used  before,  were  now  brought  effectively 
into  action.  Every  band  in  the  command 
had  already  been  eligibly  posted  and  in- 
structed to  sound  their  inspiring  strains  until 
further  orders.  While  one  attempted  “ Hail 
Columbia  ” another  accompanied  the  artillery 
with  “ Lanigan’s  Ball,”  and  the  third  essayed 
variations  on  the  theme  “ Johnny  fill  up  the 
Bowl,”  with  “ Yankee  Doodle  ” as  a grande 
finale.  These  selections  were  not  quite  so  mo- 
notonous as  those  of  one  faithful  band  which, 
without  stopping  to  recover  breath,  again , 
and  again  repeated  “ Hail  to  the  Chief,”  un- ' 
til  the  proximity  of  advancing  rebels  and  the 
wounding  of  the  “E  flat  ” warned  the  musi-~ 
cians  to  retire.  How  these  strains  were  not 
of  that  high  professional  order  emulated  by 
Maretzek  at  the  Academy,  or  Dodworth  at 
Central  Park,  yet  I doubt  if  either  was  ever 
so  felicitous.  The  music  animated  and  in- 
spired the  troops.  It  doubtless  awed  the 


52 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


enemy,  and  during  this  part  of  the  day  was 
certainly  one  of  the  chief  features  of  the 
battle;  while  the  clamor  and  display  of  this 
afternoon’s  fight  have  subjected  it  to  an  un- 
fortunate comparison  with  an  episode  in 
Chinese  warfare. 

The  rattle  of  musketry  in  front  of  the  sharp 
ring  of  our  carbines,  accompanied  with  a 
lively  tenor  the  booming  notes  of  the  artillery, 
and  the  “ spirit-stirring  ” bands  added  a 
wholesome  zest  to  the  exciting  whist ! whist ! 
of  the  flying  minie. 

The  new  line  of  light  breastworks  was 
soon  completed  and  occupied  by  our  fatigued 
and  resolute  troops.  Their  ammunition  was 
well-nigh  exhausted  and  a fresh  supply  had 
not  yet  arrived.  Custer’s  headquarters  flag 
however,  now  appeared  on  the  field,  and  his 
troops  were  following.  The  setting  sun 
gilded  the  fringe  of  the  lofty  forest  trees, 
whose  long,  peaceful  shadows  seemed  to  mock 
the  wicked  scenes  of  strife,  while  in  those 
lingering  rays,  as  they  shone  on  this  irregular 
and  unequal  combat,  there  was  a silent  in- 
fluence, imparting  renewed  vigor  and  buoyant 
spirits  to  the  gallant  defenders  of  the  Union. 

The  enemy  do  not  press  with  energy.  He 
has  thus  far  gained  no  permanent  advantage ; 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


53 


Dinwiddie  can  be  held.  The  moment  is  op- 
portune and  must  not  be  lost — so  Sheridan 
thinks,  as  he  gathers  up  the  reins  resting  on 
the  neck  of  his  favorite  black  horse,  the  same 
trusty  steed  made  famous  by  that  “ Eide  to 
Winchester.” 

The  general  hands  his  field-glass  to  an 
orderly,  and,  as  a fresh  force  of  the  enemy 
appears,  he  dashes  wildly  across  the  fields, 
his  staff  and  color-bearer  following.  The 
treacherous  ground  unhorses  some  of  the 
party,  yet  Sheridan’s  animal  is  true,  and 
bears  his  rider  safely  along  the  enthusiastic 
lines.  He  waves  his  hat  and  returns  the 
sturdy  cheers  of  the  soldiers,  while  the  bands 
more  fiercely  than  ever  blast  discordant  tunes. 
The  rounds  are  quickly  finished.  Every 
soldier  has  seen  his  general  and  every  regi- 
ment is  reinforced  by  a new  battalion  of  con- 
fidence. But  there  is  no  time  to  be  lost. 

At  this  moment  Custer’s  troops  (two  bri- 
gades under  Colonels  Pennington  and  Cape- 
hart)  file  into  the  fields.  The  enemy,  too, 
have  made  new  dispositions,  and  in  front  of 
Lord’s  battery  there  emerges  from  the  woods 
a handsome  and  imposing  line  of  battle. 
Skirmishers  precede  it  and  fire  a few  scatter- 
ing shots,  which  our  carbineers  return.  On, 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


5 I 

on  it  advances,  a long,  single,  unsupported 
line  of  infantry  sweeping  over  the  undulat- 
ing plain  and  scarcely  deigning  a reply  to  the 
warning  compliments  from  our  artillery.  It 
approaches  almost  to  the  very  mouths  of  our 
guns ! Can  our  exhausted  carbineers  and 
gunners  long  compete  with  well-organized 
bodies  of  musketry  from  fresh  infantry  bat- 
talions ? 

Custer’s  men  are  trotting  to  the  front  and 
forming,  and  as  he  himself  dashes  from  the 
side  of  Sheridan  to  execute  the  orders  for  a 
charge,  he  is  called  back  again.  “ General ! 
General ! ” is  repeated  in  a tone  still  louder 
and  with  unmistakable  authority.  “ You 
understand  ? ” says  Sheridan ; “ I want  you 
to  give  it  to  them.”  Custer,  as  though  im- 
patient at  an  unnecessary  delay,  hurriedly 
replies,  “ Yes,  yes,  I’ll  give  it  to  them ; ” and 
with  his  broad-brimmed  hat,  red  necktie,  and 
flaxen,  boyish  curls,  he  spurs  away  to  lead 
the  closing  charge. 

The  ground  was  yet  new  to  him,  and  as  his 
squadrons  formed  with  great  difficulty  on  an 
uncertain  quicksand,  it  was  hardly  possible  to 
believe  that  the  entire  field  before  him  was  of 
the  same  treacherous  mire.  Away  then  for 
the  charge  and  scatter  those  audacious  rebel 
bayonets  with  the  hardy  stroke  of  saber.  It 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


55 


•was  a failure.  There  was  no  charge.  Gal- 
lantry and  valor  availed  naught.  Riders 
were  dismounted,  horses  plunged,  and  squad- 
rons floundered  in  the  soft,  treacherous  soil 
over  which  they  would  gallop. 

Some  prudent  and  better-informed  subordi- 
nate, foreseeing  this  emergency,  had  prepared 
a dismoimted  battalion  to  meet  the  advancing 
rebels,  and  they  were  yet  held  at  bay.  Custer 
withdrew  his  troopers  and  quickly  disposed 
them  to  fight  on  foot.  The  enemy  soon  de- 
sisted from  further  aggression,  and  night 
only  closed  the  laborious  and  unequal  contest. 

Sheridan  in  his  memoirs,  written  many 
years  after  these  notes,  thus  refers  to  his  short 
ride  along  the  lines,  and  the  close  of  this 
battle : 

u Accompanied  by  Generals  Merritt  and 
Custer  and  my  staff,  I now  rode  along  the 
barricades  to  encourage  the  men.  Our  en- 
thusiastic reception  showed  that  they  were 
determined  to  stay.  The  cavalcade  drew  the 
enemy’s  fire,  which  emptied  several  of  the 
saddles — among  others  Air.  Theodore  Wilson, 
correspondent  of  the  Mew  York  Herald , being 
wounded.  In  reply  our  horse  artillery 
opened  on  the  advancing  Confederates,  but 
the  men  behind  the  barricades  lay  still  till 
Pickett’s  troops  were  within  short  range. 


56 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


Then  they  opened,  Custer’s  repeating  rifles 
pouring  out  such  a shower  of  lead  that  noth- 
ing could  stand  up  against  it.  The  repulse 
was  very  quick,  and  as  the  gray  lines  retired 
to  the  woods  from  which  but  a few  moments 
before  they  had  so  confidently  advanced,  all 
danger  of  their  taking  Dinwiddie  or  march- 
ing to  the  left  and  rear  of  our  infantry  line 
was  over,  at  least  for  the  night.” 

The  fighting  to-day  had  been  entirely  dis- 
mounted, and  darkness  found  the  horses  of 
the  different  regiments  in  considerable  con- 
fusion. The  woods  in  the  rear  were  filled 
with  stray  pack-mules  and  contrabands,  while 
every  open  space  was  crowded  with  an  almost 
immovable  mass  of  “ led  horses.”  Davies 
and  Devin  had  marched  without  further  in- 
cident by  the  Boydtown  plank  road  as  or- 
dered, and  shortly  after  dark  rejoined  the 
remainder  of  the  troops  near  Dinwiddie. 

While  the  different  commands  which  had 
become  more  or  less  scattered  were  being  col- 
lected, as  well  as  the  darkness  would  permit, 
Sheridan  returned  to  the  old  tavern  where 
he  had  already  spent  two  nights,  and  in  a 
despatch  to  General  Grant  thus  briefly 
summed  up  the  results  of  the  day’s  opera- 
tions ; 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


57 


“ Cavalry  Headquarters, 
Dinwiddie  Court  House, 
March  31,  1865. 

“ Lieutenant-General  Grant  commanding 
Armies  United  States : 

“ The  enemy’s  cavalry  attacked  me  about 
ten  o’clock  to-day  on  the  road  coming  in  from 
the  vest  and  a little  north  of  Dinwiddie 
Court-House.  This  attack  was  very  hand- 
somely repulsed  by  General  Smith’s  brigade 
of  Crook’s  division,  and  the  enemy  was  driven 
across  Chamberlain’s  Creek.  Shortly  after- 
ward the  enemy’s  infantry  attacked  on  the 
same  creek  in  heavy  force,  and  drove  in  Gen- 
eral Davies’s  brigade,  and,  advancing  rapidly, 
gained  the  forks  of  the  road  at  J.  Boisseau’s. 
This  forced  Devin,  who  was  in  advance,  and 
Davies  to  cross  to  the  Boydtown  road.  Gen- 
eral Gregg’s  brigade  and  General  Gibb’s  bri- 
gade, who  had  been  toward  Dinwiddie,  then 
attacked  the  enemy  in  the  rear  very  hand- 
somely. This  stopped  the  march  toward  the 
left  of  our  infantry,  and  finally  caused  them 
to  turn  toward  Dinwiddie  and  attack  us  in 
heavy  force.  The  enemy  then  again  attacked 
at  Chamberlain’s  creek  and  forced  Smith’s 
position.  At  this  time  Capehart’s  and  Pen- 
nington’s brigades  of  Custer’s  division  came 
up,  and  a very  handsome  fight  occurred. 


58 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


“ The  enemy  have  gained  some  ground, 
but  we  still  hold  in  front  of  Dinwiddie,  and 
Davies  and  Devin  are  coming  down  the  Boyd- 
town  road  to  join  us. 

“ The  opposing  force  was  Pickett’s  divi- 
sion, Wise’s  independent  brigade  of  infantry, 
and  Fitzhugh  Lee’s,  Bosser’s,  and  W.  H.  Lee’s 
cavalry  commands. 

“ The  men  have  behaved  splendidly.  Our 
loss  in  killed  and  wounded  will  probably 
number  four  hundred  and  fifty  men ; very 
few  were  lost  as  prisoners. 

“ We  have  of  the  enemy  a number  of 
prisoners. 

“ This  force  is  too  strong  for  us.  I will 
hold  out  to  Dinwiddie  Court-House  until  I 
am  compelled  to  leave. 

“ Our  fighting  to-day  was  all  dismounted. 

“ P.  H.  Sheridan, 

“ Major-General.” 

Thus  closed  the  battle  of  Dinwiddie  and 
the  third  day  of  this  wonderful  campaign. 
Unless  it  was  the  lodgment  effected  on  the 
White  Oak  road  by  a portion  of  the  Fifth 
corps,  the  day  cannot  be  said  to  have  ended 
with  any  material  advantage  to  the  Union 
troops.  Yet  its  results  were  hopeful.  [As 
Sheridan  explains  in  his  memoirs : “ By  fob 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


59 


lowing  me  to  Dinwiddie  the  enemy’s  infan- 
try had  completely  isolated  itself,  and  hence 
there  was  now  offered  the  Union  troops  a 
rare  opportunity.”] 

The  enemy’s  forces  were  skilfully  handled 
and  swiftly  maneuvered.  When  met  by  our 
cavalry,  disparity  of  numbers  should  have 
gained  some  more  decided  result.  But  the 
“ Confederates  ” appeared  to  lack  their  old 
elan  of  Chancellorsville,  Gettysburg,  and  the 
Wilderness.  Except  when  their  cavalry  at- 
tempted a mounted  charge,  their  spirits 
seemed  to  have  departed.  Energetic,  close 
attack  and  pursuit  near  Dinwiddie  by  the 
formidable  array  on  the  field  at  the  close  of 
the  day’s  action,  would  have  scattered  the  de- 
fiant troopers  of  Sheridan  in  every  direction 
and  doubtless  given  the  enemy  the  possession 
of  the  little  village  at  the  Court-House  and 
the  important  roads  there  converging. 

The  rebels  contented  themselves  with  rest- 
ing for  the  night  so  near  to  our  lines  that  the 
conversation  of  their  pickets  was  plainly 
audible  to  our  artillerists. 

Doubtless  the  enemy  hoped  on  the  morrow 
to  reap  the  fruits  of  a decisive  victory ; and 
should  no  new  dispositions  be  made,  there 
was  every  earnest  of  their  success.  But  their 
golden  opportunity  was  gone.  Had  Lee  been 


60 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


apprised  of  the  real  condition  of  affairs  on 
the  extreme  left  of  Grant’s  line  along  Sheri- 
dan’s front  just  before  dark,  he  might  have 
hurled  five  thousand  effective  infantry  against 
the  same  number  of  scattered,  exhausted,  and 
retreating  cavalry,  with  ammunition  ex- 
pended, and  encumbered  with  horses,  per- 
fectly useless  as  they  were  led  through  thick 
woods  or  across  the  swampy  fields.  He  would 
have  fallen  on  the  trains,  turned  the  flank  of 
Grant’s  lines,  been  ready  the  next  morning  to 
attack  the  rear  of  the  Fifth  and  Second  corps 
as  they  faced  an  enemy  along  Hatcher’s  run, 
and  perhaps  so  far  succeeded  in  the  cam- 
paign as  to  compel  General  Grant  to  retire 
again  temporarily  to  his  old  works. 

The  original  scheme  of  operations  for  the 
cavalry  under  Sheridan,  when  it  first  marched 
from  camp  on  the  29th  of  March,  contem- 
plated a raid  on  the  Southside  and  other  rail- 
roads converging  at  Burkesville,  with  a march 
thereafter  toward  Sherman  in  North  Caro- 
lina, or  in  case  this  might  not  be  deemed 
advisable  such  subsequent  movements  as 
Sheridan’s  best  discretion  might  indicate. 
The  temporary  repulse  of  the  battle  of  Din- 
widdie  completely  frustrated  any  part  of 
these  plans,  and  there  is  the  highest  authority 
for  believing  that  when  the  news  was  first 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


61 


learned  by  General  Grant  tbe  original  orders 
were  so  far  countermanded  as  to  determine 
upon  a return  of  the  troops  for  the  present 
to  their  old  camps  about  Petersburg.  The 
subsequent  reports  of  Sheridan  and  others, 
however,  quickly  changed  this  scheme,  and 
with  perfect  confidence  in  the  latter’s  ability 
to  hold  his  own  and  to  take  care  of  himself, 
the  orders  for  a retreat  were  almost  instantly 
countermanded.  So  that,  in  reality  they  only 
reached  a few  of  the  most  prominent  generals. 
Thus  was  the  campaign  quickly  changed  from 
what  would  have  been  a temporary  failure  to 
a success  as  complete  as  any  in  the  history  of 
war.  Heedless  of  a first  repulse,  obstinacy 
and  perseverance  transformed  it  into  a vic- 
tory. Another  instance,  too,  of  the  remark- 
able adaptability  of  the  lieutenant-general  to 
every  emergency  of  the  hour. 

The  night  wTas  not  spent  in  idleness.  An 
army  may  have  rest  yet  not  suffer  for  vigi- 
lance. Sheridan  was  aroused  early  in  the 
night  by  the  reception  of  an  answer  to  his 
despatch  to  General  Grant  already  quoted, 
and  as  he  read  saw  an  exhibition  of  the  same 
dauntless,  persevering,  and  successful  spirit, 
which  on  that  memorable  occasion  at  Fort 
Donelson  informed  the  rebel  general,  “ I pro- 
pose to  move  immediately  upon  your  works.” 


62 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


Dabney  Mills, 

March  31.  1865, 
10:05  P.M. 

Major-General  Sheridan: 

The  Fifth  corps  has  been  ordered  to  your 
support.  Two  divisions  will  go  by  J.  Bois- 
seau’s,  and  one  down  the  Boydtown  road.  In 
addition  to  this  I have  sent  McKenzie’s  cav- 
alry, which  will  reach  you  by  the  Vaughan 
road. 

All  these  forces,  except  the  cavalry  should 
reach  you  by  twelve  to-night. 

You  will  assume  command  of  the  whole 
force  sent  to  operate  with  you,  and  use  it  to 
the  best  of  your  ability  to  destroy  the  force 
which  your  command  has  fought  so  gallantly 
to-day. 

U.  S.  Grant. 

Lieutenant-General. 

By  a glance  at  the  map  it  will  be  seen  that 
the  house  of  J.  Boisseau  here  mentioned, 
was  near  the  main  Five  Forks  road,  and  a 
force  of  infantry  there  would  very  likely 
prove  of  serious  inconvenience  to  any  rebels 
who  might  be  on  the  same  road  further  south. 
In  pursuance  of  General  Grant’s  instructions 
the  probable  arrival  of  two  divisions  of  the 
Fifth  corps  at  this  point  during  the  night 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


63 


promised  the  satisfactory  results  so  succinctly 
pointed  out  in  the  following  letter  of  instruc- 
tions to  General  Warren: 


Cavalry  Headquarters, 
Dinwiddie  Court  House, 
April  1,  1865,  3 A.M. 

To  Major-General  Warren,  Commanding 
Fifth  Army  Corps : 

I am  holding  in  front  of  Dinwiddie  Court- 
House  on  the  road  leading  to  Five  Forks,  for 
three-quarters  of  a mile,  with  General  Cus- 
ter’s division.  The  enemy  are  in  his  im- 
mediate front,  lying  so  as  to  cover  the  road 
just  this  side  of  A.  Adam’s  house,  which  leads 
out  across  Chamberlain’s  bed  or  run.  I un- 
derstand you  have  a division  at  J.  Boisseau’s ; 
if  so,  you  are  in  rear  of  the  enemy’s  line,  and 
almost  on  his  flanks.  I will  hold  on  here. 
Possibly  they  may  attack  Custer  at  daylight ; 
if  so,  attack  instantly  and  in  full  force.  At- 
tack at  daylight  anyhow,  and  I will  make  an 
effort  to  get  the  road  this  side  of  Adam’s 
house,  and  if  I do  you  can  capture  the  whole 
of  them.  Any  force  moving  down  the  road 
I am  holding,  or  on  the  White  Oak  road,  will 
be  in  the  enemy’s  rear,  and  in  all  probability 
get  any  force  that  may  escape  you  by  a flank 


64 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


attack.  Do  not  fear  my  leaving  here.  If 
the  enemy  remains  I shall  fight  at  daylight. 

P.  H.  Sheridan. 

Major-General. 

It  now  bids  fair  that  the  dawn  of  day  in 
the  execution  of  these  orders  would  bring  an 
attack  on  the  enemy  perfectly  overwhelming. 

The  battle  of  Dinwiddie  concluded  the  last 
military  advantage  ever  enjoyed  by  the  soi- 
disant  “ Confederacy.”  The  closing  scenes  of 
its  short-lived  existence  never  presented  an- 
other.* 


* See  note  at  end  of  Chapter  III. 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


65 


CHAPTER  III  * 

Saturday,  April  1st,  Sheridan  moving  towards  Five  Forks  at 
daylight.— His  disappointments. — Enemy  in  turn  pursued. — 
The  ambulances.— The  concentration  forced  upon  the  enemy. 
—His  position. — Five  Forks  described. — Sheridan’s  plan.— 
Win  or  die. — Grant  orders  him  “to  destroy  the  force”  “so 
gallantly  fought  by  you  the  day  before.” — The  Fifth  Corps 
at  daylight  not  where  expected. — Why  ? — The  fighting  at 
sunset. — The  charges — the  dispersion — the  captures. — Loss 
of  the  Southside  Railroad  to  the  enemy. — A great  victory. — 
Grant  at  once  utilizes  it.— Some  dispatches. — Campaign  map. 

Sheridan  moved  at  daylight  the  nest 
morning  (April  1).  His  men  and  horses 
had  enjoyed  refreshment,  a few  hours’  rest; 
and  supplies  of  ammunition  had  been  re- 
ceived. Those  troublesome  wagons  were  at  last 
accessible,  and  the  wounded  during  the  night 
had  been  taken  some  miles  distant  to  the  hos- 
pitals in  the  rear  of  the  main  Army. 

Did  you  ever  see  a train  of  ambulances 
bearing  from  the  battle-field  its  bleeding 
freight  ? You  may  have  known  the  hardship 
of  a lonely  sick-room,  in  the  garret  of  an  un- 
sympathizing boarding-house;  or  up  endless 
flights  of  stairs  you  may  have  charitably 
sought  the  suffering  traveler  in  the  strange 


5 


* See  note  at  end  of  Chapter  III. 


66 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


solitude  of  the  crowded  hotel.  You  may 
have  bathed  the  wound  or  soothed  the  fever  of 
your  hero  soldier  as  he  lingers  from  day  to 
day,  or  month  to  month  in  the  dreary  hos- 
pital. You  may  have  worked  with  busy 
fingers  on  the  thousand  little  useful  nothings 
which  tender  woman  knows  will  cheer  the 
sick  man’s  spirit.  You  may  have  toiled  day 
and  night  in  supplying  sanitary  commissions 
with  the  pouch  of  the  good  Samaritan.  You 
may  have  knelt  by  the  bedside  of  the  dying 
warrior,  joining  in  his  silent  prayers  as  you 
appeal  to  heaven  for  divine  mercy  and  for- 
giveness. Your  sympathies,  labors  and  peti- 
tions, go  not  unheeded  by.  But  turn  your 
hearts  to  the  maimed  soldier  as  while  the 
sounds  of  battle  linger  in  his  ears  he  is 
crowded  into  a jolting  ambulance,  and  carted 
over  the  roughest  roads,  perhaps  at  night, 
fatigued  from  the  loss  of  blood,  exhausted 
from  want  of  food  and  sleep,  racking  with 
the  pain  of  hastily  dressed  wounds,  not  yet 
at  the  hospital,  the  grateful  recipient  of  those 
touching  evidences  of  relief  and  comfort  pro- 
vided by  a generous  people.  Let  him  com- 
mand every  good  impulse  of  your  nature  as  he 
takes  this  cheerless,  painful  ride. 

It  is  an  episode  of  every  battle.  What 
wounded  man  does  not  shudder  as  he  remem- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


67 


bers  it  ? There  are  no  kind  friends  to  soothe 
him  there.  His  anguish  is  his  own.  Who 
can  tell  how  fast  the  thoughts  of  home  com- 
forts and  loved  ones  rush  over  him.  It  may 
be  that  ere  the  end  of  the  fearful  journey  his 
spirit  has  flown.  The  ambulance  may  have 
become  the  hearse.  Oh  ! this  is  war  ; these  are 
the  afflictions  which  have  just  passed  from  us. 
God  grant  the  bitter  cup  may  not  be  drunk 
too  often. 

As  the  cavalry  this  morning  moved  again 
for  the  third  time  toward  Five  Forks,  Dev- 
in led  the  right  wing,  skirmishing  as  he  ad- 
vanced over  a part  of  the  field  of  his  conflict 
of  the  day  previous,  while  Custer  directed  the 
left  wing;  the  whole  under  Merritt.  Crook, 
with  Gregg’s  brigade,  followed  that  portion  of 
the  enemy  who  retreated  toward  the  west 
across  Chamberlain’s  run. 

The  rebels  in  front  of  Sheridan  had  during 
the  night  become  alarmed  at  their  exposure  to 
the  operations  of  the  Fifth  corps  on  their 
flank  and  rear,  and  early  dawn  found  them 
offering  but  a slight  skirmishing  resistance 
before  the  advance  of  the  cavalry,  and  fall- 
ing back  slowly  and  steadily  to  their  old  po- 
sition at  the  Five  Forks.  Those  who  crossed 
the  run  towards  the  west,  consisting  prin- 
cipally of  cavalry,  halted  when  across  the 


68 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


creek,  and  making  a show  of  resistance  they 
kept  up  a lively  skirmish  fire  and  continued 
work  on  their  defenses  to  prevent  our  further 
pursuit.  Crook’s  division  was  therefore  left, 
behind  by  Sheridan  to  look  after  this  force, 
protect  his  left  and  rear,  watch  the  trains,  and 
with  general  directions  to  take  advantage  of 
any  opportunities  that  might  occur. 

A peculiarity  of  this  campaign  was  this 
discretion  to  division  commanders  given  by 
General  Grant  in  his  preparatory  orders  be- 
fore the  troops  left  camp,  and  in  which 
generals  were  especially  instructed  to  press 
at  once  any  advantage,  however  slight,  that 
might  he  gained  during  the  campaign. 
Should  the  enemy  at  any  time  give  way,  com- 
manders were  to  seize  the  moment  to  strike 
a decisive  blow.  The  previous  history  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  would  seem  to  indicate 
that  this  cardinal  military  principle  hereto- 
fore had  not  received  the  attention  it  deserved 
in  the  general  instructions  of  its  officers,  and 
the  excellent  results  of  this  authoritative  ex- 
position of  the  lieutenant-general  may  be 
traced  in  the  daily  history  of  his  last  cam- 
paign. 

The  Fifth  corps  did  not  arrive  on  the  main 
Five  Forks  road,  as  anticipated,  in  time  to 
prevent  the  enemy  from  using  it  as  his  line  of 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


69 


retreat  toward  the  Soutkside  railroad.  Had 
they  done  so  by  daylight,  there  is  little  doubt 
that  there  would  have  been  no  battle  at  Five 
Forks  that  day,  but  that  there  would  have 
been  fought  midway  between  that  point  and 
Dinwiddie  Court-House  a short  and  decisive 
contest  that  would  have  brought  more  glorious 
results  much  earlier  in  the  day.  Why  the 
Fifth  corps  did  not  answer  Sheridan’s  ex- 
pectations in  this  respect  has  never  yet  been 
explained,  and  probably  was  one  of  the  mo- 
tives for  inducing  that  officer  later  in  the  day 
to  relieve  from  command  its  young  and 
gallant  general.  As  subsequent  operations 
turned  out  this  delinquency  was  quite  im- 
material, but  it  is  nevertheless  animadverted 
upon  in  these  words  in  the  official  report  of 
Sheridan : “ Had  General  Warren  moved 
according  to  the  expectations  of  the  lieuten- 
ant-general there  would  appear  to  have  been 
but  little  chance  for  the  escape  of  the  enemy’s 
infantry  in  front  of  Dinwiddie  Court- 
House.”  Since  his  removal  General  Warren 
has  published  a card  concerning  it,  but  he  is 
silent  as  to  the  operations  now  in  question. 

(Since  these  notes  were  written  in  1865, 
the  Warren  Court  of  Inquiry  has  occurred, 
and  a large  quantity  of  literature  and  testi- 
mony has  been  published  about  the  matter.) 


70  the  last  hours  of 

The  Fifth  corps  then  was  concentrated  in 
the  vicinity  of  J.  Boisseau’s  house,  and  there 
awaited  further  developments.  About  this 
time  General  McKenzie,  in  command  of 
what  was  called  the  cavalry  division  of  the 
Army  of  the  James,  reported  to  General 
Sheridan  with  about  1000  effective  men  or- 
ganized as  a brigade.  The  immediate  com- 
mand of  Devin’s  and  Custer’s  divisions 
rested  with  General  Merritt,  under  whose  di- 
rections they  now  closely  pressed  the  enemy. 
Twice  their  rear-guard  attempted  to  make  a 
stand  behind  some  temporary  defenses,  but 
after  a short  struggle  were  each  time  com- 
pelled to  retire,  until  finally  they  reached 
the  old  position  at  Five  Forks. 

That  portion  of  the  enemy  who  had 
crossed  Chamberlain’s  bed  also  retired  north 
to  the  same  locality,  closely  followed,  how- 
ever, by  General  Gregg’s  brigade  of  Crook’s 
division.  This  brigade  was  afterwards  of 
considerable  service  reconnoitering  and 
watching  our  flanks,  but  did  not  become 
seriously  engaged  during  the  day. 

It  was  now  evident  that  the  rebels  had  con- 
centrated quite  a formidable  force,  and  to 
dislodge  them  was  no  mean  undertaking. 
Yet  to  our  advantage  they  were  beyond  the 
reach  of  support  from  the  remainder  of  Gen- 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


71 


eral  Lee’s  army,  which,  even  were  it  not  so, 
was  now  too  much  engaged  with  the  long 
lines  in  its  own  immediate  front  to  render 
any  available  assistance. 

Their  exact  numbers  it  would  be  very  dif- 
ficult to  state ; probably  12,000  effective  men 
would  be  a liberal  estimate.  The  force  com- 
prised Pickett’s  division,  two  brigades  of 
Bushrod  Johnson’s,  besides  cavalry  under 
W.  H.  F.  and  Fitzhugh  Lee. 

Against  this  Sheridan  bad  the  Fifth  corps 
with  about  15,000,  and  the  cavalry  (without 
Crook’s  division)  of  nearly  5000  effective 
men. 

If  Five  Forks  were  any  place  there  might 
follow  here  a description  of  it.  You  would 
not  unreasonably  suspect  a country  cross- 
roads of  an  unpretending  blacksmith  shop, 
a convenient  “ store,”  a gloomy  church,  or  at 
least  a deserted  shanty.  But  this  charming 
illustration  of  Virginia  enterprise  boasts  of 
nothing.  It  is  emphatically  a “ Five  Forks,” 
and  nothing  else.  The  roads  forking  here 
lead,  one  to  Dinwiddie  Court-House  toward 
the  south ; another  to  Petersburg  on  the  East, 
called  the  White  Oak  road;  another  to  Ford’s 
station,  on  the  Southside  railroad;  a fourth 
to  a point  on  the  railroad  a little  west  of  the 
station,  and  a fifth  through  the  county  in  a 


72 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


southwesterly  direction.  The  principal  of 
these  roads  are  the  White  Oak  and  Ford’s 
station  roads,  and  it  was  along  the  one  and 
across  the  other  that  the  rebels  had  erected 
their  breastworks.  These,  though  still  in- 
complete, were  rather  hurriedly  constructed 
of  pine  logs,  partially  covered  with  earth. 
The  rebel  line  of  battle  extended  from  one  to 
two  miles  along  the  White  Oak  road,  with 
the  flanks  thrown  a little  to  the  rear  in  an  en- 
deavor to  cover  the  Ford’s  station  road,  the 
latter  in  case  of  defeat  being  their  only  safe 
line  of  retreat. 

Merritt  had  shown  his  cavalry  at  all  points 
of  this  line,  but  with  this  alone  it  was  quite 
impossible  for  him  to  make  any  serious  im- 
pression. The  country  here  is  very  thickly 
wooded,  a large  portion  of  the  actual  battle- 
field being  covered  with  a thick  growth  of 
pine.  Toward  the  east  of  the  lines  the  for- 
est became  more  open,  with  here  and  there  a 
partially  cultivated  field ; while  to  the  west 
was  a house  and  rather  a pretty  farm,  known 
as  the  Widow  Gilliam’s,  situated  near  the 
road,  and  affording  quite  an  open  and 
available  piece  of  country. 

Sheridan’s  plan  was  soon  determined.  It 
is  related  of  him  that  in  speaking  of  this 
battle  he  has  since  remarked  that  before  it 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


73 


begun  he  had  made  up  his  mind  to  win  it  or 
die  in  the  attempt.  He  had  not  asked  for  a 
corps  to  be  sent  him ; he  might  have  suggested 
a division  of  infantry.  General  Grant,  how- 
ever, said,  “ I will  send  him  a corps,”  and 
with  the  forces  now  at  his  disposition  he  pro- 
ceeded, in  the  words  of  the  lieutenant-general 
in  giving  him  instructions  to  “ destroy  the 
force  which  your  command  has  fought  so 
gallantly  to-day.” 

Custer’s  division  was  to  make  serious  dem- 
onstrations to  the  west,  on  the  right  of  the 
rebels  as  if  to  turn  their  flank,  while  dis- 
mounted cavalry  and  a portion  of  the  Fifth 
corps  occupied  their  attention  in  front.  The 
main  body  of  this  corps,  however,  was  mean- 
while ordered  up  from  its  position  near  the 
Boisseau  house,  and  formed  on  out  right 
under  cover  of  the  forest  (near  Gravelly  Run 
church)  facing  the  White  Oak  road,  with 
Ayres’s  division  on  the  left  in  double  lines, 
Crawford’s  on  the  right.  Griffin’s  division 
was  held  in  reserve.  By  the  time  these  dis- 
positions were  completed,  which  wTas  not 
without  severe  skirmishing,  the  afternoon 
was  well  advanced.  There  was  not  much 
time  to  lose ; the  fight,  if  here  at  all,  must  be 
to-day.  Right  would  doubtless  change  the 
relations  of  the  contestants,  and  in  all  prob- 


74: 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


ability  deprive  our  forces  of  the  present  op- 
portunities for  success.  Should  the  enemy 
attack  us,  too,  our  advantage  would  be  lost. 
We  had  no  position  for  a defense.  Sheridan 
was  therefore  naturally  uneasy  at  the  slight- 
est delay.  About  this  time,  to  prevent  any 
attempt  of  the  enemy  to  send  reinforcements 
along  the  White  Oak  road,  General  McKen- 
zie was  directed  to  gain  this  road  at  once  if 
possible ; march  down  it  and  engage  anything 
he  might  meet.  The  Fifth  corps  was  now 
advanced  as  formed  directly  from  Gravelly 
Run  church  to  the  White  Oak,  which  it 
reached  after  tedious  maneuvering  in  the 
heavy  forest,  and  now  found  itself  just  be- 
yond the  extreme  left  flank  of  the  enemy’s 
works.  The  plan  of  the  battle  directed  that 
while  the  cavalry  were  engaging  the  atten- 
tion of  the  rebels  in  front  and  on  their  right 
flank  where  the  opening  of  the  Gilliam  farm 
afforded  such  excellent  opportunities  for 
demonstrations,  the  infantry  should  envelop 
their  extreme  left  flank  and  sweep  down  the 
rebel  lines,  while  a simultaneous  charge  of 
all  the  cavalry  should  be  made  when  the  roar 
of  musketry  should  indicate  a heavy  engage- 
ment of  our  infantry.  The  enemy  were  to 
be  at  once  captured  or  destroyed.  But  the 
afternoon  was  well-nigh  spent  and  the  enemy 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


75 


yet  comparatively  undisturbed.  Sheridan 
rode  over  to  hasten  the  movements  of  the 
Fifth  corps,  and  directed  it  upon  the  rebel 
breastworks,  the  movement  conforming  to 
what  may  be  termed  a “ left  half-wheel,” 
with  Ayres’s  division  as  the  pivot.  But  this 
faithful  soldier  had  met  the  enemy  directly 
in  his  front,  and  was  becoming  desperately 
engaged.  The  sharp  cracks  of  the  carbines 
mingled  with  the  rattle  of  musketry,  while 
pressing  squadrons  with  drawn  saber,  sought 
an  opportunity  to  ride  over  the  foe.  But 
the  battle  raged  fiercest  on  the  right.  The 
roar  of  musketry,  as  it  increased  in  volume 
in  this  direction,  led  some  to  suppose  that 
Lee’s  reinforcements  must  have  arrived  from 
Petersburg.  But  now  it  was  the  Union  mus- 
kets that  added  vigor  to  the  battle.  The 
enemy  withdrew  troops  from  other  parts  of 
the  field  to  meet  Ayres’s  attack.  The  troops 
of  this  corps  had  been  unsuccessful  in  the 
previous  contests  of  this  campaign,  and  evi- 
denced a lack  of  confidence.  Some  were  ral- 
lied by  Sheridan  in  person,  and  Ayres  con- 
tinued gallantly  to  hold  his  own, while  Craw- 
ford, not  yet  meeting  any  enemy,  pressed  on, 
crossed  the  road,  and  moving  down  through 
comparatively  open  woods,  soon  found  him- 
self in  the  rebel  rear,  struck  their  ambulances, 


76 


THE  LAST  I-IOUBS  OF 


captured  some  artillery,  and  threatened  anni- 
hilation. The  enemy  still  held  out  with 
vigor  in  front.  It  was  here,  as  he  led  his 
earnest  Zouave  brigade  against  the  works 
which  Ayres  must  carry,  fell  the  noble  and 
chivalric  Winthrop  in  the  bloom  of  his  career, 
and  while  victory  only  awaited  its  bloody 
price  to  rest  majestically  on  his  banners. 

It  was  just  previous  to  the  cavalry  charge 
that,  affairs  looking  favorable  in  front  of  our 
cavalry,  an  officer  of  General  Merritt’s  staff 
rode  up  to  General  Sheridan  with,  “ General 
Merritt’s  compliments,  sir ; and  he  thinks  now 
would  be  a good  time  to  put  the  cavalry  ‘ in.’  ” 
To  this  he  received  the  characteristic,  laconic 
reply : “ Go  in  ” ; and  the  cavalry  did  “ go  in.” 
There  seemed  to  be  no  chance  to  charge,  but 
charge  they  must.  Custer,  who  it  will  be 
remembered,  held  our  extreme  left,  was  or- 
dered to  dismount  his  division  and  send  them 
forward.  He  dismounted  enough  to  comply 
with  his  orders,  pressed  them  to  the  front, 
and  sent  two  mounted  brigades  still  further 
to  the  left  to  strike  the  enemy’s  rear.  Every 
move  on  our  part  was  successful.  The  rebel 
artillery  for  a short  time  played  havoc  among 
our  brave  assailants ; but  they  were  the  guns 
of  despair.  The  musketry  on  the  right  was 
for  a while  terrific,  while  the  constant  dashes 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


77 


of  our  mounted  and  dismounted  cavalry, 
added  to  the  sound  of  skirmishing  directly 
in  the  rebel  rear,  were  increasing  sources  of 
demoralization  and  defeat.  ISTo  troops  could 
stand  it  long.  Their  lines  were  shaken ; the 
red  sunset  glimmered  through  the  forest  as 
if  to  rebuke  the  fratricidal  strife ; and  the 
vigorous  cheers  of  Union  battalions  pursued 
a flying  and  defeated  foe.  Ayres,  Crawford, 
and  Griffin  did  not  halt,  but  pressed  close  on 
the  fugitives,  and  gathered  hosts  of  prisoners  ; 
while  Custer,  who  was  never  known  to  lose 
an  opportunity,  now  charged  his  mounted 
squadrons.  There  was  no  escape ; turn  where 
they  would,  the  flying  rebels  were  confronted. 
All  their  dead,  most  of  their  wounded,  and 
ambulances,  guns,  caissons,  with  nearly 
6,000  prisoners,  fell  into  our  hands. 

While  the  thick  wroods  assisted  their  re- 
treat and  prevented  greater  captures,  dark- 
ness only  gave  an  end  to  the  chase.  It  is 
a curious  fact  that  so  many  small  arms  were 
the  next  day  collected  on  this  field  that,  for 
want  of  transportation,  to  prevent  the  pos- 
sibility of  their  falling  again  into  the  hands 
of  the  enemy,  the  rebel  muskets  were  actually 
used  to  corduroy  several  parts  of  the  very  bad 
roads  in  this  vicinity. 

The  flower  of  Lee’s  army  was  fairly  beaten. 


78 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


Pickett’s  division  as  an  organization,  has 
never  since  been  heard  of,  and  to  the  end  of 
the  campaign  its  stragglers  from  this  field 
were  daily  encountered.  Some  even  sought 
their  homes  at  once  to  lay  down  their  arms 
for  peace ; and  many  a Confederate  soldier 
did  not  hesitate  to  express  his  belief  that 
further  resistance  to  the  Union  armies  would 
only  be  as  sanguinary  as  it  would  be  unavail- 
ing. 

When  you  have  rejoiced  with  me  over  this 
brilliant  victory  at  Five  Forks,  when  you 
have  paid  your  homage  to  its  living  heroes, 
bedecked  with  flowers  the  graves  of  its  dead, 
honored  their  names  and  embalmed  their 
memory,  perhaps  you  may  pause  a moment  to 
regret  that  it  was  here  the  curtain  fell  over 
the  bright  military  reputation  of  a young 
and  promising  general. 

Speaking  of  the  dispositions  ordered  for 
the  attack,  Sheridan  says : “ I then  rode  over 
to  where  the  Fifth  corps  were  going  into  po- 
sition, and  found  them  coming  up  very  slowly. 
I was  exceedingly  anxious  to  attack  at  once, 
for  the  sun  was  getting  low,  and  we  had  to 
fight  or  go  back.  It  was  no  place  to  intrench, 
and  it  would  have  been  shameful  to  have  gone 
back  with  no  means  to  compensate  for  the 
loss  of  the  brave  men  who  had  fallen  during 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


79 


the  day.  In  this  connection  I will  say  that 
General  Warren  did  not  exert  himself  to  get 
his  corps  up  as  rapidly  as  he  might  have  done, 
and  his  manner  gave  me  the  impression  that 
he  wished  the  sun  to  go  down  before  the  dis- 
positions for  the  attack  could  be  completed.” 
Of  the  actual  battle  he  again  says:  “ During 
this  attack  I again  became  dissatisfied  with 
General  Warren.  During  the  engagement 
portions  of  his  line  gave  way  when  not  ex- 
posed to  a heavy  fire,  and  simply  for  want  of 
confidence  on  the  part  of  the  troops,  which 
General  Warren  did  not  exert  himself  to  in- 
spire. I therefore  relieved  him  from  the 
command  of  the  Fifth  corps,  authority  for 
this  action  having  been  sent  to  me  before  the 
battle,  unsolicited.”  It  was  during  the  clos- 
ing scenes  of  the  engagement,  late  in  the 
afternoon,  and  while  his  battalions  were  in 
eager  pursuit  of  the  retreating  enemy,  that 
General  Warren  received  this  order  relieving 
him  from  the  command  of  the  Fifth  Army 
corps.  It  may  have  been  sent  some  time  be- 
fore these  circumstances  occurred.  General 
Griffin  immediately  succeeded  him,  and  re- 
mained at  its  head  during  the  campaign. 
(In  reviewing  the  judgment  of  the  Warren 
Court  of  Inquiry,  General  Sherman  says  that 
“ General  Sheridan  was  perfectly  justified  in 
his  action  in  this  case.”) 


80 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


This  battle  of  Five  Forks  is  justly  regarded 
as  the  turning  point  in  the  campaign.  Had 
the  enemy  won  it,  Petersburg  and  Richmond 
might  have  held  out  many  days  and  probably 
weeks  longer.  When  they  lost  it  the  South- 
side  railroad  was  no  longer  useful  to  them, 
nor  had  they  any  line  of  retreat  south  of  Ap- 
pomattox for  their  forces  at  Petersburg.* 

* A terse  and  comprehensive  statement  of  Grant’s 
Plan  of  Campaign  from  this  point  is  the  fol- 
lowing : 

“ On  Sunday,  April  2d,  when  most  of  the  defenses 
of  Petersburg  had  been  taken,  and  it  became 
evident  that  it  must  fall,  Lee  advised  the  Confeder- 
ate President  that  Richmond  must  be  evacuated  ; 
whereupon  the  government  hastily  evacuated  the 
Capitol,  not  staying  even  to  remove  the  archives. 
The  same  night  Lee  ordered  all  his  troops  to  concen- 
trate at  Amelia  Court-House,  on  the  Danville  Rail- 
road, south  of  the  Appomattox,  intending  to  effect  a 
junction  with  Johnston  and  fall  upon  Sherman,  who 
was  still  at  Goldsboro,  N.  C.  On  learning  this, 
Grant  ordered  Sheridan  to  place  his  cavalry  on  the 
south  side  of  the  Appomattox,  via  the  Danville  Rail- 
road, as  quickly  as  possible,  and  at  the  same  time 
directed  Meade  to  move  to  the  same  point  the  fol- 
lowing morning.  The  Army  of  the  James  marched 
by  the  wagon  road  beside  the  Southside  Railway, 
south  of  the  Appomattox,  as  far  as  Burke’s  Station, 
where  it  intersects  the  Richmond  and  Danville  Rail- 
way and  also  crosses  the  Appomattox  River.” 

[Extract  from  Life  of  Grant  by  James  Grant 
Wilson  (Published  by  D.  Appleton  and  Company, 
1897),  page  274.  See  copy  of  a campaign  map 
used  by  Grant’s  generals,  Ibid.  pp.  274-275  ; and  re- 
produced  in  this  book  through  the  courtesy  of  Gen- 
eral Wilson], 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


81 


Note.  The  battles  of  Dinwiddie  Court-House  and 
of  Five  Forks  were  summarized,  by  General  Lee  at 
once  in  a dispatch  to  the  Confederate  Secretary  of 
War,  General  Breckenridge,  at  Richmond  as  follows  : 

“ Headquarters  Army  of  Northern  Yiginia,  April  1, 
1865.  Hon.  Secretary  of  War,  Richmond,  Ya.  Sir: 
After  my  dispatch  of  last  night  (not  found)  I received 
a report  from  General  Pickett,  who,  with  three  of  his 
own  brigades  and  two  of  General  Johnston’s,  sup- 
ported the  cavalry  under  General  Fitz  Lee  near  Five 
Forks,  on  the  road  from  Dinwiddie  Court-House  to 
the  South  Side  road.  After  considerable  difficulty 
and  meeting  resistance  from  the  enemy  at  all  points, 
General  Pickett  forced  his  way  to  within  less  than 
a mile  of  Dinwiddie  Court-House.  By  this  time  it 
was  too  dark  for  further  operations,  and  General 
Pickett  resolved  to  return  to  Five  Forks  to  protect 
his  communication  with  the  railroad.  He  inflicted 
considerable  damage  upon  the  enemy  and  took  some 
prisoners.  His  own  loss  was  severe,  including  a good 
many  officers.  General  Terry  had  his  horse  killed 
by  a shell  and  was  disabled  himself.  General  Fitz 
Lee’s  and  Rosser’s  divisions  were  heavily  engaged, 
but  their  loss  was  slight.  General  W.  H.  F.  Lee  lost 
many  valuable  officers.  General  Pickett  did  not  re- 
tire from  the  vicinity  of  Dinwiddie  Court-House  un- 
til early  this  morning,  when,  his  left  flank  being 
threatened  by  a heavy  force,  he  withdrew  [Sheridan 
had  counted  on  the  Fifth  Corps,  under  General 
Warren,  closing  in  so  as  to  make  this  withdrawal 
impossible]  to  Five  Forks,  where  he  took  position 
with  General  W.  H.  F.  Lee  on  his  right,  Fitz  Lee 
and  Rosser  on  his  left,  with  Roberts’  brigade  on  the 
White  Oak  road  connecting  with  General  Anderson. 
The  enemy  attacked  General  Roberts  with  a large 
force  of  cavalry,  and  after  being  once  repulsed 
finally  drove  him  back  across  Hatcher’s  Run.  A 
large  force  of  infantry,  believed  to  be  the  Fifth 
Corps,  with  other  troops  turned  General  Pickett's 
left  and  drove  him  back  on  the  White  Oak  road, 
separating  him  from  General  Fitz  Lee,  who  was 
compelled  to  fall  back  across  Hatcher’s  Run.  General 
Pickett's  present  position  is  not  known.  General  Fitz 
Lee  reports  that  the  enemy  is  massing  his  infantry 
6 


82 


■THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 

heavily  behind  the  cavalry  in  his  front.  The  infantry 
that  engaged  GeperaT  Anderson  yesterday  has  moved 
from  his  front  toward  our  right,  and  is  supposed 
to  participate  inCthe  operations  above  described. 
Prisoners  have  b'een  taken  to-day  from  the  Twenty- 
fourth  Corps,  and  it  is  believed  that  most  of  that 
Corps  is  now  South  of  tbe  James.  Our  loss  to-day 
is  not  known.  ...  R.  E.  Lee,  General.”  [War 
Records,  46Vol.  Part  III.  p.  1371.  etc]. 

The  same  day  General  Lee  ordered  Field’s  Division, 
then  north  of  the  James  River, to  be  sent  to  Petersburg 
at  once,  the  two  right  brigades  to  take  the  cars  at  Rich- 
mond for  Petersburg  and  three  brigades  by  dirt  road, 
and  for  General  Longstreet  to  come  with  them.  But 
the  emergency  was  pressing  and  the  latter  arranged 
for  all  the  five  brigades  to  go-by  rail ; and  for  all  the 
“ Local  troops  ” to  be  ordered  out  by  the  Richmond 
Secretary  of  War,  and  under  Lieut. -Gen.  R.  S. 
Ewell  to  occupy  the  places  of  Longstreet’s  troops  on 
the  “ huts  and  lines  ” north  of  the  James  River.  All 
these  elaborate  but  hasty  arrangements  were  inter- 
fered with  by  the  events  of  the  ensuing  day  and  the 
movements  in  connection  with  the  evacuation  of 
Richmond  on  the  night  of  April  2d,  1865. 

See  preface  to  the  second  edition  of  this  book. 
The  author  there  referred  to  was  not  only  held  in 
high  esteem  by  General  Sheridan,  but  by  all  the 
staff.  He  did  not  remain  in  the  military  service 
after  the  war,  as  several  of  the  staff  did,  who  accom- 
panied General  Sheridan  to  the  South  West.  In  a 
letter  dated  Philadelphia,  December  13,  1865,  from 
Brevet  Lieutenant-Colonel  Charles  Triechel  to  the 
writer,  it  is  narrated  that : “Newhall  received  a very 
pretty  badge  the  other  day  from  New  Orleans, — gold 
band  and  cross  sabres  with  ‘Shenandoah  ’ over  them, 
and  the  Cavalry  Corps  Headquarters  flag  hanging 
from  its  staff  underneath ; and  on  the  back  the  very 
unique  inscription,  ‘ To  Col.  F.  C.  Newhall  from 
Tony , Sandy,  Bios,  and  Mike.'  I believe  you  know 
the  crowd.  H.  E.  T. 


See  also  notes  at  end  of  Chapter  IV. 


Lus  Bttrtat 

S. fur  uians  March 


. 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


83 


CHAPTER  IV. 


Sunday,  April  2d.— The  night  after  the  battle. — The  midnight 
bombardment  of  Petersburg.— Shotted  salutes. — The  twenty 
miles  of  assault. — Fall  of  Petersburg.— What  Sheridan  was 
meanwhile  doing.— Battle  at  Sutherland  station.— Miles  com- 
mended.— Some  dispatches. 

The  news  of  Sheridan’s  success,  as  it 
reached  the  different  portions  of  our  lines 
during  the  evening,  electrified  the  troops,  and 
in  honor  thereof  shotted  salutes  were  impro- 
vised and  added  distraction  to  the  foe.  There 
was  little  sleep  for  officers  or  men  of  either 
army  that  night.  Orderlies  galloped  from 
general  to  general,  colonels  and  captains  in- 
spected their  commands,  while  the  pattering 
and  constant  skirmish  fire  betokened  activ- 
ity and  vigilance.  Later  this  became  more 
monotonous,  and  there  might  be  a chance  for 
a little  repose.  It  was  a calm,  clear,  star- 
light night ; but  soon  the  very  ground  seemed 
to  tremble  as  though  by  an  earthquake.  Old 
campaigners  tell  of  the  cannonading  at  Fred- 
ericksburg and  Gettysburg ; but  neither 
equaled  in  fury,  reverberation,  or  grandeur 


84 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


this  midnight  bombardment  at  Petersburg. 
Each  army  seemed  determined  that  its  adver- 
sary should  have  no  rest.  A mutual  agree- 
ment of  terrifying  annoyance  and  wild  de- 
struction might  have  prevailed.  Along  those 
immense  lines,  from  the  Appomattox  river 
on  the  right  to  where  Sheridan  was  quietly 
resting  on  the  battle-field  of  Five  Forks,  hun- 
dreds of  guns,  of  every  conceivable  caliber, 
counterfeited  the  dread  clamors  of  the  im- 
mortal Jove.  The  plump  of  the  solid  shot 
as  it  buried  itself  in  the  earth ; the  shrieking, 
whistling  Parrott,  as  you  traced  its  lightning 
course  by  its  burning  fuse ; the  venerable 
mortar,  as  it  slowly  curved  through  the  dark- 
ness in  its  fiery  parabola  and  bursting  high 
in  air  dropped  its  missiles  of  death  into  mass- 
ing battalions ; the  spiteful  little  minie  as  it 
“ whist  ” above  the  parapet — this  was  the 
pandemoniac  introduction  to  the  bloody  onset 
for  which  our  armies  were  preparing. 

Daylight  did  not  dawn  the  next  pleasant 
Sunday  morning  on  a sleeping  soldier ; and 
the  intense  activity  of  the  glorious  week 
ahead  gave  still  less  opportunity  for  sleep. 
Despite  the  great  bombardment  everything 
was  ready,  and  along  more  than  twenty  con- 
tinuous miles  of  works  there  was  one  grand 
assault  which  no  historian  ever  contemplated 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


85 


and  no  pen  can  describe.  The  Ninth  corps, 
the  Sixth  corps,  the  Army  of  the  James,  and 
the  Second  corps  extending  in  this  order  from 
right  to  left,  each  vied  with  the  other  in  this 
glorious,  successful,  and  immortal  charge. 
The  names  of  their  heroes,  living  and  dead — 
for  the  joy  of  victory  in  many  a home  was 
buried  in  the  grief  of  bereavement — should  be 
inscribed  on  an  enduring  shaft  as  a nation’s 
monument  to  its  heroic  defenders.  Let  him 
who  deems  himself  worthy  essay  to  depict 
these  scenes. 

It  was  about  eleven  o’clock  on  the  morn- 
ing of  Sunday,  April  2,  as  he  attempted  the 
worship  of  his  God,  that,  sitting  quietly  in 
church  at  Richmond,  Jefferson  Davis  re- 
ceived from  his  coadjutor,  Robert  Lee,  the 
following  brief  despatch : “ My  lines  have 
been  pierced  ; I shall  evacuate  Petersburg  and 
Richmond.”  This  simply  tells  the  story.* 

Meanwhile  Sheridan  was  not  idle ; but  his 
movements  during  this  day,  though  materially 
aiding  the  general  plan  by  reaping  every  ad- 
vantage possible  of  his  victory  at  Live  Forks, 
were  not  specially  notable.  Miles’s  division 
of  the  Second  corps  reached  him  by  daylight, 
Grant  being  determined  that  there  should 


* See  note  (a)  at  end  of  this  Chapter. 


86 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


now  be  nothing  lost  where  so  much  had  been 
gained. 

The  cavalry  moved  towards  Ford’s  sta- 
tion at  daylight  and  found  the  rebel  cavalry 
collected  near  the  crossing  of  Hatcher’s  run. 
Put  they  fell  back  before  him,  and  Sheridan 
with  his  cavalry  and  Fifth  corps,  soon  halted 
at  Ford’s  station,  on  the  Southside  road. 
The  importance  of  this  road  to  the  rebels  had 
been  frequently  so  overestimated  by  news- 
paper generals  in  their  editorial  headquarters 
that  now  that  we  held  it,  some  of  our  officers 
facetiously  observed,  “ The  war  is  over  and 
we  can  go  home.”  Miles’s  division  was  to 
strike  the  railroad  nearer  Petersburg,  by  a 
road  known  as  the  “ Clairbourne  Road.” 
At  the  crossing  of  Flatcher’s  run,  however,  he 
came  up  with  the  enemy’s  infantry  who,  deem- 
ing it  prudent  not  to  offer  battle  there  and  re- 
tiring before  him,  posted  themselves  on  an 
open  farm  at  Sutherland’s  station.  There 
was  some  misunderstanding  about  this  time 
as  to  whether  General  Miles  was  under  the 
command  of  Sheridan  or  Humphreys.  Cer- 
tain it  is  that  the  former  relinquished  it  with- 
out a conflict  of  authority. 

Miles  had  reported  to  Sheridan  by  order 
of  General  Grant,  but  on  Humphreys  prefer- 
ing  to  Sheridan  a request  from  General  Meade 


SHERIDANS  CAVALRY. 


87 


to  return  Miles,  Sheridan  relinquished  com- 
mand of  Miles’  division.  [In  his  memoirs 
Sheridan  says : “ I have  always  regretted  that 
I did  so,  for  the  message  Humphreys  con- 
veyed was  without  authority  from  General 
Grant  by  whom  Miles  had  been  sent  to  me,  but 
thinking  good  feeling  a desideratum  just  then, 
and  wishing  to  avoid  wrangles,  I faced  the 
Sixth  corps  about  and  marched  it  down  to 
Five  Forks,  and  out  the  Ford  road  to  the 
crossing  of  Hatcher’s  run.  After  we  had 
gone  General  Grant,  intending  this  quarter  of 
the  field  to  be  under  my  control,  ordered 
Humphreys  with  his  other  two  divisions  to 
move  to  the  right,  in  toward  Petersburg. 
This  left  Miles  entirely  unsupported,  and  his 
gallant  attack  made  soon  after  was  un- 
successful at  first,  but  about  three  o’clock  in 
the  afternoon  he  carried  the  point  which  cov- 
ered the  retreat  from  Petersburg  and  Rich- 
mond.”] 

At  the  close  of  the  day,  when  General 
Humphreys  was  congratulated  by  the  writer 
on  the  brilliant  success  of  this  division  of  his 
corps,  he  generously  replied : “ It  is  General 
Miles’s  victory.  I had  nothing  to  do  with  it. 
The  credit  is  due  to  him.” 

It  was  indeed  a creditable  affair,  this  hand- 
some little  battle  at  Sutherland  station. 


88 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


Close  by  the  railroad  here  there  ran  a fine 
wide  turnpike  known  as  the  “ Cox  Road,”  in 
former  times  the  favorite  drive  from  Peters- 
burg, and  leading  through  a well-cultivated 
farming  country.  In  quiet  contrast  to  the 
dreary  forests  south  of  Hatcher’s  run  and  not 
yet  laid  waste  by  the  tramp  of  armies,  the 
green  fields  and  blooming  fruit  trees  wore  a 
rustic  beauty  quite  refreshing.  The  rebels 
had  chosen  this  for  a battle-field,  and  had 
thrown  up  hastily  a breastwork  of  earth  and 
rails  parallel  with  the  road,  while  to  the  west 
some  small  redoubts  a little  more  elaborate 
protected  their  flank.  Their  force  com- 
prised portions  of  two  divisions,  in  all  four 
brigades  of  infantry  commanded  by  Scales, 
McGowan,  McRae,  and  Wilcox.  They  had 
in  position  seven  pieces  of  artillery,  but  while 
the  battle  was  pending  other  guns  weie  re- 
moved to  the  rear.  Miles  had  attacked  them 
twice  during  the  afternoon  without  success. 
They  held  their  own  and  inflicted  on  him  con- 
siderable loss.  His  force  consisted  only  of 
three  brigades  and  Clarke’s  battery,  about  five 
thousand  men,  while  the  rebels  mustered 
fully  as  many,  had  a good  position  and  acted 
entirely  on  the  defensive.  Late  in  the  after- 
noon, while  General  Humphreys  was  hurry- 
ing to  the  support  of  General  Miles,  the  latter 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


89 


massed  liis  troops  on  the  enemy’s  left  flank, 
and  made  a third  and  successful  assault. 
Two  of  his  brigade  commanders  (Generals 
Medill  and  McDougall)  were  wounded,  but 
the  enemy  were  by  sunset  driven  from  the 
field,  losing  two  guns,  a battle  flag,  and  several 
hundred  prisoners. 

The  fatigue  of  the  troops  and  want  of  cav- 
alry prevented  further  pursuit ; and  when  all 
was  quiet  here,  the  fading  sound  of  artillery 
in  the  direction  of  Ford’s  station  announced 
that  in  Sheridan’s  front  he,  too,  was  “ master 
of  the  situation.”  Crook’s  cavalry  having 
now  nothing  further  to  accomplish  by  remain- 
ing at  Dinwiddie,  also  moved  forward  with 
all  the  trains,  and  as  the  roads  were  by  this 
time  quite  dry,  encamped  for  the  night  near 
General  Miles,  who  remained  at  Sutherland 
station. 

This  closed  the  fifth  of  the  great  eleven 
days’  campaign ; and  had  it  not  been  for  the 
troublesome  storms,  so  seriously  delaying  our 
troops,  there  can  be  but  little  doubt  that  the 
results  witnessed  the  next  morning,  in  the 
entire  evacuation  of  Petersburg  and  the 
abandonment  of  the  rebel  capital,  would  have 
been  accomplished  at  least  one  day  earlier. 

It  had  been  a warm  spring  day,  and  as  the 
troops  in  front  of  the  rebel  breastworks 


90 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


eagerly  followed  up  tlieir  grand  successful 
charge  of  the  morning,  the  roads  were  strewn 
with  overcoats,  blankets,  and  knapsacks  be- 
longing as  well  to  the  pursuers  as  the  pur- 
sued. Falling  back  to  their  last  line  of  works 
immediately  about  Petersburg,  the  rebels  now 
found  themselves  completely  enveloped  by 
our  forces  from  the  Appomattox  river  on  the 
right  around  Petersburg  to  the  river  again  on 
the  left.  ISTo  road  of  retreat  was  now  open  to 
them  south  of  the  Appomattox,  while  the 
strong  force  which  Lee  had  detached  to  pro- 
tect the  Southside  railroad,  and  to  threaten 
Grant’s  flank,  was  now  scattered  in  the  woods 
an  army  of  demoralized  fugitives. 

Notes,  (a.)  This  dispatch  [quoted  at  page  85]  does 
not  seem  to  have  found  its  way  into  the  archives  of 
the  Confederate  Government.  But  other  dispatches 
that  were  exchanged  between  the  latter  and 
General  Lee  are  found  in  those  archives,  and  illus- 
trate a termination  of  the  Civil  governing  power 
at  Richmond.  General  Lee  telegraphed  his  Secre- 
tary of  War  (Gen’l  J.  C.  Breckenridge)  at  10.40 
o’clock  that  morning  [April  2dJ  : “I  see  no  pros- 
pect of  doing  more  than  holding  our  position  here 
[i.  e.  Petersburg]  till  night.  I am  not  certain 
that  I can  do  that.  If  I can  I shall  withdraw  to- 
night north  of  the  Appomattox,  and,  if  possible,  it 
will  be  better  to  withdraw  the  whole  line  to-night 
from  James  River.  The  Brigades  on  Hatcher’s  Run 
are  cut  off  from  us  ; enemy  have  broken  through  our 
lines  and  intercepted  between  us  and  them,  and 
there  is  no  bridge  over  which  they  can  cross  the 
Appomattox  this  side  of  Goode’s  or  Beaver’s,  which 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


91 


are  not  very  far  from  the  Danville  railroad.  Our 
only  chance,  then  of  concentrating  our  forces,  is  to 
do  so  near  Danville  railroad,  which  I shall  endeavor 
to  do  at  once.  I advise  that  all  preparation  be  made 
for  leaving  Richmond  to-night.  I will  advise  you 
later,  according  to  circumstances,  (signed)  R”  E. 
Lee.  ‘‘To  this  dispatch  there  was  the  following 
reply  from  the  President  of  the  Confederate  States  : 
“ Richmond,  Va.  April  2,  1865.  General  R.  E.  Lee 
Petersburg,  Va.  : The  Secretary  of  War  has 
shown  me  your  dispatch.  To  move  to-night  will 
involve  the  loss  of  many  valuables,  both  for  the  want 
of  time  to  pack  and  of  transportation.  Arrangements 
are  progressing,  and  unless  you  otherwise  advise  the 
start  will  be  made,  (signed)  Jeffn.  Davis.”  To  this  Lee 
responded:  “ I think  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  we 
should  abandon  our  position  to-night.  I have  given 
all  the  necessary  orders  on  the  subject  to  the  troops, 
and  the  operation,  though  difficult,  I hope  will  be 
performed  successfully.  I have  directed  General 
Stevens  to  send  an  officer  to  your  Excellency  to  ex- 
plain  the  routes  to  you  by  which  the  troops  will  be 
moved  to  Amelia  Court-House,  and  furnish  you 
with  a guide  and  any  assistance  that  you  may  require 
for  yourself,  (signed)  R.  E.  Lee.”  At  4.55  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon  General  Lee  also  notified  the  Secretary 
of  War,  obviously  in  response  to  inquiry:  “I 
think  the  Danville  road  will  be  safe  until  to-mor- 
row.” At  7 o’clock  he  also  sent  a dispatch  to  the 
Secretary  saying : “It  is  absolutely  necessary  that 
we  should  abandon  our  position  to-night,  or  run  the 
risk  of  being  cut  off  in  the  morning.  I have  given 
all  the  orders  to  officers  on  both  sides  of  the  river, 
and  have  taken  every  precaution  that  I can  to  make 
the  movement  successful.  It  will  be  a difficult 
operation,  but  I hope  not  impracticable.  Please  give 
all  orders  that  you  find  necessary  in  and  about  Rich- 
mond. The  troops  will  all  be  directed  to  Amelia 
Court-House — (signed)  R.  E.  Lee.”  The  “orders  to 
officers  ” above  mentioned,  by  which  the  “ Army  of 
Northern  Virginia”  guided  its  final  withdrawal  to 
Richmond  and  its  Vicinity,  were  as  follows  : “ Head- 
Quarters  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  April  2,  1865. 
Generals  Longstreet’s  and  Hill’s  corps  will  cross  the 


92 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


pontoon  bridge  at  Battersea  Factory,  and  take  the 
River  road,  north  side  of  Appomattox,  to  Bevill’s 
Bridge  to-night.  General  Gordon’s  corps  will  cross 
at  Pocahontas  and  railroad  bridges,  his  troops  taking 
Hickory  road,  following  General  Longstreet  to 
Bevill’s  Bridge,  and  his  wagons  taking  the  wood- 
pecker road  to  old  Colville  endeavoring  not  to  inter- 
fere with  Mahone’s  troops  from  Chesterfield  Court- 
House,  who  will  take  the  same  road.  General  Mu- 
hone’s  division  will  take  the  road  to  Chesterfield 
Court-House,  thence  by  old  Colville  to  Goode’s 
Bridge.  Mahone’s  wagons  will  precede  him  on  the 
same  road  or  take  some  road  to  his  right.  General 
Ewell’s  command  will  cross  the  James  River  at  and 
below  Richmond,  taking  the  road  to  Branch  church, 
via  Gregory’s,  to  Genito  road,  via  Genito  Bridge  to 
Amelia  Court-House.  The  wagons  from  Richmond 
will  take  the  Manchester  pike  and  Buckingham 
road,  via  Meadville,  to  Amelia  Court-House.  The 
movement  of  all  troops  will  commence  at  8 o’clock, 
the  artillery  moving  out  quietly  first,  infantry 
following,  except  the  pickets,  who  will  be  withdrawn 
at  3 o’clock.  The  artillery  not  required  with  the 
troops  will  be  moved  by  the  roads  prescribed  for  the 
wagons,  or  such  other  as  may  be  most  convenient. 
Every  officer  is  expected  to  give  his  unremitting 
attention  to  cause  the  movement  to  be  made  success- 
fully. 

“ By  order  of  General  Lee  : W.  J.  Taylor,  Assis- 
tant Adjutant-General, 

“ After  all  the  infantry  and  artillery  have  crossed, 
Pocahontas  and  Campbell’s  Bridges  will  be  destroyed 
by  the  Engineers.  The  pontoon  bridge  at  Battersea 
Factory  and  the  railroad  bridges  will  be  reserved 
for  the  pickets.”  [See.  Vol.  46,  Part  III.  pages  1378 — 9 
of  Official  Records  war  of  Rebellion.] 

(6.)  During  the  momentous  events  of  this  day, 
which  this  chapter  by  no  means  purports  to  narrate, 
President  Lincoln  had  remained  at  General  Grant’s 
old  headquarters  at  City  Point.  With  him  was  Col. 
T.  S.  Bowers  of  General  Grant’s  staff  and  to  the  latter 
General  Grant  frequently  sent  orders  and  dispatches 
containing  information  for  the  President.  Mr.  Lin- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


93 


coin  at  8.30  A.  M.,  April  2d,  telegraphed  to  Mrs.  Lin- 
coln who  had  arrived  that  morning  at  the  White 
House,  saying:  “Last  night  General  Grant  tele- 
graphed that  General  Sheridan  with  his  cavalry  and 
the  Fifth  Corps  had  captured  three  brigades  of  in- 
fantry, a train  of  wagons,  and  several  batteries, 
prisoners  amounting  to  several  thousand.  This 
morning  General  Grant  having  ordered  an  attack 
along  the  whole  line  telegraphed  as  follows : ‘ Both 
Wright  and  Parke  got  through  the  enemy’s  lines. 
The  battle  now  (6.40  a.  m.),  rages  furiously.  Sheri- 
dan with  his  cavalry,  the  Fifth  Corps  and  Miles’  Di- 
vision of  the  Second  Corps,  which  was  sent  to  him 
since  one  this  morning,  is  now  sweeping  down  from 
the  west.  All  now  looks  highly  favorable.  Ord  is 
engaged,  but  I have  not  yet  heard  the  result  in  his 
front. — U.  S.  Grant,  Lieutenant-General.’  Robert 
yesterday  wrote  a little  cheerful  note  to  Captain 
Penrose,  which  is  all  he  has  heard  of  him  since  you 
left.  A.  Lincoln.” 

The  battle  or  rather  the  series  of  battles  was  then 
raging ; and  General  Grant  directed  Col.  Bowers  to 
notify  Colonel  Mulford,  the  commissioner  in  charge 
of  exchanges  of  prisoners  of  war,  “ to  make  no  more 
deliveries  of  rebel  prisoners  whilst  the  battle  is  going 
on.  Parke  captured  two  forts  and  two  redoubts  this 
morning  with  their  guns.  I have  not  yet  heard  from 
Sheridan,  but  I have  t/n  abiding  faith  that  he  is  in 
the  right  place  and  at  the  right  time.  U.  S.  Grant, 
Lieutenant-General.” 

At  10.45  A.  M.  the  latter  further  telegraphed 
“ everything  has  been  carried  from  the  left  of  the 
Ninth  Corps.  The  Sixth  Corps  alone  captured  more 
than  3000  prisoners.  The  Second  and  Twenty-fourth 
Corps  both  captured  forts,  guns,  and  prisoners  from 
the  enemy,  but  I cannot  yet  tell  the  number.  We 
are  now  closing  around  the  works  of  the  city  im- 
mediately enveloping  Petersburg.  All  looks  re- 
markably well.  I have  not  yet  heard  from  Sheridan. 
U.  S.  Grant,  Lieutenant-General.” 

By  4.40  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  General  Grant 
summarized  his  situation  in  the  following  dispatch 
to  Col.  Bowers  at  City  Point:  “ We  are  now  up,  and 
have  a continuous  line  of  troops,  and  in  a few  hours 


94 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


will  be  intrenched  from  the  Appomattox  below 
Petersburg,  to  the  river  above.  Heth’s  and  Wilcox’s 
divisions — such  part  of  them  as  were  not  captured — 
were  cut  off  from  town,  either  designedly  on  their 
part,  or  because  they  could  not  help  it.  Sheridan, 
with  the  cavalry  and  Fifth  Corps,  is  above  them. 
Miles’  division,  Second  Corps,  was  sent  from  the 
White  Oak  road  to  Sutherland’s  Station,  on  the 
South  side  Railroad,  where  he  met  them,  and  at  last 
accounts  was  engaged  with  them.  Not  knowing 
whether  Sheridan  would  get  up  in  time  General 
Humphreys  was  sent  with  another  division  from 
here  (Boydton  Road).  The  whole  captures  since  the 
army  started  out  gunning  will  not  amount  to  less 
than  12000  men,  and  probably  fifty  pieces  of  artillery. 
I do  not  know  the  number  of  men  and  guns  accu- 
rately, however.  A portion  of  General  Foster’s  di- 
vision, Twenty-fourth  Corps,  made  one  of  the  most 
gallant  charges  and  captured  a very  important  fort 
from  the  enemy,  with  its  entire  garrison.  All  seems 
well  with  us,  and  everything  quiet  just  now.  I 
think  the  President  might  come  out  and  pay  us  a 
visit  to-morrow.  U.  S.  Grant,  Lieutenant-General.” 

The  President  immediately  forwarded  this  dis- 
patch by  telegraph  to  Secretary  of  War  (Stanton)  and 
then  replied  to  General  Grant  thus  : “Allow  me  to 
tender  to  you  and  all  with  you  the  nation’s  grateful 
thanks  for  this  additional  and  magnificent  success. 
At  your  kind  suggestion  I think  I will  meet  you  to- 
morrow. A Lincoln.” 

General  Grant,  practical  but  polite  as  always,  then 
telegraphed  : “ If  the  President  will  come  out  on  the 
9 a.  m.  train  to  Patrick  Station  I will  send  a horse 
and  an  escort  to  meet  him.  It  would  afford  me 
much  pleasure  to  meet  the  President  in  person  at  the 
station,  but  I know  he  will  excuse  me  for  not  doing 
so  when  my  services  are  so  liable  to  be  needed  at 
any  moment.  If  nine  is  an  inconvenient  hour  tele- 
graph me  the  hour  when  the  President  will  start  and 
he  will  find  his  escort  awaiting  him  when  he  arrives. 
U.  S.  Grant,  Lieutenant-General.” 

Early  in  the  evening  of  the  same  day  General 
Grant  received  the  following  dispatch  from  General 
Meade : “ Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac,  April 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


95 


2,  1865,  7.15  p.  M.,  Lieutenant-General  Grant:  An 
officer  who  accompanied  General  Humphreys  has 
just  returned.  Humphreys  effected  a junction  with 
Miles,  but  the  enemy  had  withdrawn.  Humphreys 
was  in  pursuit.  Miles  had  a very  brisk  engagement 
this  afternoon,  was  severely  pressed,  and  at  one  time 
part  of  his  command  gave  way.  He,  however,  stub- 
bornly maintained  his  position  till  Humphreys  ar- 
rived. Both  divisions  must  be  greatly  fatigued  from 
constant  marching  and  Miles  with  fighting.  I ex- 
pect, therefore,  that  the  enemy  will  get  away. 
Nothing  was  heard  from  Sheridan  when  this  officer 
returned.  What  orders  shall  be  sent  to  Humphreys  ? 
Geo.  G.  Meade,  Major-General,  commanding.” 

To  this  General  Grant  at  7.40  P.H.  answered  : 

“ I would  send  Humphreys  no  orders  further  than 
to  report  to  Sheridan  and  return  or  cross  the  Appo- 
mattox, as  he  wishes.  I have  just  heard  from 
Sheridan.  Lee  himself  escaped  up  the  river.  Sheri- 
dan thinks  that  all  of  the  rebel  army  that  was  out- 
side the  works  immediately  around  the  city  are 
trying  to  make  their  escape  out  that  way.  He  is 
making  dispositions  to  cut  them  off  if  he  can.  The 
Fifth  Corps  is  now  with  or  near  the  second  and 
should  not  be  moved  in  this  direction  to-night.  I 
think  there  is  nothing  in  Petersburg,  except  the 
remnant  of  Gordon's  Corps  and  a few  men  brought 
from  the  north  side  to-day.  I believe  it  will  pay  to 
commence  a furious  bombardment  at  5 A.  M.  to  be 
followed  by  an  assault  at  6,  only  if  there  is  a good 
reason  for  believing  the  enemy  is  leaving.  Unless 
Lee  reaches  the  Danville  road  to-night  he  will  not 
be  able  to  reach  his  army  to  command  here.  U.  S. 
Graot,  Lieutenant  General.” 

Referring  to  the  battle  at  Sutherland  Station 
General  Grant  later,  at  9.30  P.  M.,  telegraphed  to 
General  Meade  : “ Miles  has  made  a big  thing  of  it  and 
deserves  the  highest  praise  for  the  pertinacity  with 
which  he  stuck  to  the  enemy  until  he  wrung  from 
him  victory.  As  the  cavalry  w'as  coming  down  the 
Cox  and  River  roads  I am  very  much  in  hopes  we 
will  hear  to-night  of  the  capture  of  the  balance  of 
Heth’s  and  Wilcox’s  divisions.  . . .”  (This  did  not 
then  happen).  General  Miles  was  encouraged  dur- 


9G 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


ing  his  battle  by  the  following  dispatch  received 
from  General  Sheridan. 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters,  South  Side  Railroad, 
April  2,  1865,  2.40  p.  M.  Brevet  Major-General  Miles 
Commanding  Division,  Second  Corps.  General : I am 
instructed  by  Major-General  Sheridan  to  inform 
you  that  we  are  now  on  the  South  Side  Railroad 
and  to  hold  on,  and  we  will  move  down  on  the 
force  opposing  you  and  strike  them  in  the  flank. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant.  Jas.  W. 
Forsyth,  Chief  of  Staff.  P.  S.  We  moved  up  to  this 
point  on  the  Ford  Road.” 

General  Miles  kept  battling,  and  his  own  dispatch 
to  General  Meade  says : “At  the  third  assault  of 
the  enemy’s  position  along  the  South  Side  Railroad, 
made  at  3.30  P.  M.  one  brigade  attacked  on  their 
flank  succeeded  in  completely  routing  them.  Have 
captured  about  1,000  prisoners,  2 guns  and  2 colors. 
Am  now  advancing  toward  Petersburg  along  the 
South  Side  road  with  one  brigade  along  the  River 
road.  Nelson  A.  Miles,  Brevet  Major-General.” 

In  the  midst  of  all  these  anxious  cares  General 
Grant  did  not  forget  General  Sherman,  for  on  the 
same  day  lie  thus  directed  : 

“ April  2, 1865,  Col.  T.  S.  Bowers,  City  Point.  Send 
all  my  dispatches  that  have  gone  concerning  opera- 
tions to  Sherman.  What  you  receive  hereafter  send 
to  Fort  Monroe  by  telegraph  to  be  forwarded  by 
first  steamer  to  Morehead  City.  Have  you  stopped 
Mulford  from  delivering  prisoners  ? If  he  has  any 
on  hand  for  delivery  tell  him  to  hold  on  to  them. 

U.  S.  Grant.  Lieutenant  General.”  [Ibid.  p.  450.] 

Late  that  day  the  President  telegraphed  to  Mrs. 
Lincoln  at  the  Executive  Mansion  : “ Mrs.  Lincoln  : 
At  4.30  P.M.  to-day  General  Grant  telegraphs  that  he 
has  Petersburg  completely  enveloped  from  river  be- 
low to  river  above,  and  has  captured  since  he  started 
last  Wednesday,  about  12000  prisoners  and  50  guns. 
He  suggests  that  I shall  go  out  and  see  him  in  the 
morning,  which  I think  I will  do.  Tad  and  I are 
both  well,  and  will  be  glad  to  see  you  and  your  party 
here  at  the  time  you  name. 

A.  Lincoln.” 

The  Evacuation  that  night  of  Petersburg  and  Rich- 
mond brought  about  modifications  of  these  plans. 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


97 


CHAPTER  V.* 


A pursuit.— Sheridan’s  scouts.— Major  Young  their  chief.— The 
march  of  Monday,  April  3d,  and  Tuesday,  April  4th. — Grant's 
general  dispositions.— The  composition  of  the  pursuing 
army.— Its  routes  of  March. — Avoiding  a “stern  chase.” — 
The  roads,  the  folk,  and  the  country. — Horses  “contra- 
band of  war.”— The  army’s  visitors.— Lee  at  Amelia  Court- 
House.—  Jetersville.— Battle  expected  : an  opportunity  lost  to 
Lee.— Sheridan  hopefully  writes  Meade  about  dispersing 
Lee’s  army.— Notes. — Some  dispatches. 

Monday  morning,  April  3d,  while  Sheri- 
dan was  endeavoring  to  capture  the  remnants 
of  these  forces,  news  was  received  of  the 
evacuation  of  Petersburg  and  probably  Rich- 
mond. Scouts  came  in  from  every  direction 
with  reports  of  a small  force  in  this  or  that 
locality  which  might  be  easily  captured. 
Custer  and  Devin  were  dashing  their  squad- 
rons over  every  farm,  taking  many  prisoners, 
and  adding  to  the  distraction  of  the  enemy. 
Hear  Deep  Creek  a fine  battery  of  artillery 
was  captured,  while  skirmishes  and  charges, 
lines  of  battle,  and  hurried  marches  were  the 
order  of  the  day.  “ Sheridan’s  scouts  ” were 
now  pre-eminently  active  and  useful.  These 
anomalous  characters — organized  as  a small 

* See  notes  at  end  of  this  Chapter  V, 

7 


98 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


battalion,  under  the  command  of  Major 
Young,  and  composed  of  soldiers  from  dif- 
ferent regiments,  selected  for  their  fitness  for 
this  peculiar  duty — were  a body  of  men  with- 
out the  slightest  air  of  military  appearance, 
hut  whose  eminent  services,  in  this  and  other 
campaigns,  though  not  conspicuous,  were 
most  constant  and  valuable.  They  were 
known  everywhere  as  “ Sheridan’s  scouts.” 
Spreading  themselves  over  the  country  in 
groups  of  two,  three,  or  half  a dozen,  they 
cover  the  flanks  and  precede  the  advance  of 
every  column.  They  learn  every  road, 
bridge,  house,  church,  camp,  and  every  stable. 
dSTot  a quadruped  within  miles  of  Sheridan’s 
cavalry  escapes  their  inspection,  or,  if  useful, 
their  immediate  appropriation.  Their  con- 
stant riding  makes  it  necessary  that  they 
should  make  these  horse  trades  frequently, 
else  their  usefulness  in  the  transmission  of  in- 
telligence is  seriously  impaired.  Habitually 
they  assume  the  uniform — if  such  it  can  be 
called — of  rebel  soldiers,  though  among  them 
you  will  just  as  frequently  see  men  in  the 
garb  of  a Virginia  “ planter ; ” an  “ F.  F.  V.” 
aboriginal,  in  rusty  homespun  and  broad  hat, 
riding  at  a careless  amble  along  the  road, 
swinging  in  one  hand  a poor  specimen  of  a 
switch,  and  jerking  with  the  other  a much 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


99 


poorer  article  of  horseflesh.  His  bridle  was 
a possible  section  of  a plow  harness,  while 
his  saddle  might  have  belonged  to  a run- 
away negro.  Every  soldier  remembers  these 
picturesque  knights  of  the  Southern  chivalry, 
as  they  peered  into  the  Union  camps.  Early 
in  the  war  they  made  bold  to  demand  of  our 
officers  their  contrabands  as  “ property 
later  these  “ honorable  ” gentlemen  found 
themselves  much  more  useful  to  their 
“ cause  ” as  members  of  a volunteer  corps  for 
conveying  information  to  the  camp  of  the  en- 
emy; while  still  later  in  the  war  they  sought 
from  the  hated  Yankee  his  esteemed  com- 
missary stores,  or  a “ gyard  ” to  protect  a 
dilapidated  homestead.  Certainly  of  the 
same  blood  must  have  been  that  younger  class 
of  similar  visitors,  who  prowled  about  the 
country  in  unfrequented  localities,  seeking 
deeds  of  wickedness  and  desperation.  It 
must  have  been  one  of  these  self-same  farmer 
guerillas,  bushwhackers,  or  whatever  they 
may  be  called,  who,  hunting  over  the  country 
one  day,  it  is  said,  accidentally  ran  across  one 
or  our  inimitables,  apparently  engaged  in  a 
similar  sport,  and  to  whom,  in  answer  as  to 
the  kind  of  game  he  sought,  he  innocently  re- 
plied that  he  was  out  after  quails ; although, 
he  confidentially  added,  he  didn’t  mind  bring- 


100 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


ing  down  a Yankee  if  lie  had  a good  chance. 
The  disposition  of  our  fellow-countrymen,  as 
thus  illustrated,  seems  to  have  been  thorough- 
ly appreciated  by  these  ubiquitous  scouts  of 
Sheridan,  who  therefore  owned  everything 
they  saw,  and  want  of  transportation  was 
their  limit  to  actual  possession.  They  visited 
everybody,  were  at  home  in  every  house,  and 
enjoyed  at  any  hour  of  day  or  night  that 
unreserved  hospitality  which  they  knew  so 
well  how  to  inspire.  They  conversed  with 
every  ignorant  white  man  and  every  “ intelli- 
gent contraband.”  They  were  most  ac- 
curately informed  of  the  hidden  whereabouts 
of  plate,  jewelry,  horses,  and  other  concealed 
valuables,  and  knew  where  every  road  went 
to,  and  how  to  reach  pleasant  places  not  put 
down  on  the  maps,  by  no  road  at  all.  Indeed 
these  scouts  were  a most  complete  gazetteer 
of  the  country  through  which  the  cavalry 
marched.  Hone  could  speak  with  more 
knowledge  of  its  resources.  While  they  led 
during  the  campaign  this  roving,  demoral- 
izing life,  and  gained  much  information, 
doubtless  very  interesting  to  themselves,  they 
occasionally  learned  matters  of  value  to  their 
superiors.  Their  personal  attachment  to 
Sheridan  was  strong  and  reliable.  On  the 
march,  or  in  action,  scarcely  an  hour  passed 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


101 


that  they  did  not  bring  him  a direct  report 
from  distant  and  important  quarters.  They 
visited  the  enemy’s  outposts,  rode  about  his 
wagon  trains,  spied  out  his  camps,  and 
encircled  the  cavalry  corps  with  a network  of 
eyes  and  ears.  Seldom  is  a general  in  active 
campaign  better  acquainted  with  the  moves 
of  his  enemy  than  was  Sheridan  in  this. 
Aside  from  the  information  which  each  of  his 
generals  was  able  to  send  from  his  own 
immediate  vicinity,  these  scouts  were  his  only 
“ secret  service.”  They  occasionally,  too, 
accomplished  deeds  of  valor.  It  was  in  the 
afternoon  of  the  3d,  shortly  after  Custer’s 
skirmish  at  Namozine  church,  that  two  or 
three  of  these  men,  riding  carelessly  along  the 
road,  encountered  the  rebel  general,  Bar- 
ringer, and  staff.  By  their  shrewdness  and 
audacity,  the  whole  party  was  so  deceived  as 
innocently  to  ride  with  them  to  the  rear  of  our 
lines,  where  the  out-maneuvered  general  and 
party  were  obliged  to  surrender  as  prisoners 
of  war.  So  energetic  and  confusing  to  the 
enemy  had  been  Sheridan’s  pursuit.  Sim- 
ilar instances  frequently  occurred. 

The  onward  march  of  our  army  had  been 
seriously  impeded  during  the  3d  of  April  by 
the  high  state  of  the  creeks.  The  cavalry 
divisions  under  Custer  and  Devin  skirmished 


102 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


constantly  with  the  enemy;  and  Sheridan 
himself  remained  with  the  advance,  gather- 
ing and  sifting  the  information  of  the  ene- 
my’s movements,  which  he  was  thus  able  to 
receive  promptly  from  his  scouts,  and  from 
a variety  of  other  sources  which  a skilful 
officer  can  always  command.  At  Namozine 
church  (as  already  referred  to)  Custer' 
experienced  a lively,  but  successful  affair ; 
and  as  the  infantry  followed  closely  in  his 
wake,  they  met  here  renewed  evidences  of  the 
ravages  of  war.  Deserted  fields,  barren  with 
the  tramp  of  cavalry,  fences  as  if  hurriedly 
opened  here  and  there  for  the  columns  of  war, 
empty  corn  cribs,  and  the  crackling  flames  of 
blazing  barns,  burning  like  tinder,  their  dry 
lumber  now  falling  to  the  ground,  now 
slowly  yielding  as  with  submissive  grace  to 
their  curling  fires,  pictured  a desolation  but 
typical  of  the  vengeance  which  would  fain 
follow  evil  spirits  in  rebellion. 

It  would  have  been  very  strange  if  the 
pursuit  could  have  been  so  vigorously  con- 
tinued always  with  entire  success  in  every 
skirmish.  Nevertheless,  the  rule  was  to 
fight ; and  Custer’s  division  had  a lively  day 
of  it,  not  without  loss  in  both  men  and  offi- 
cers. Wells’s  brigade  of  Custer’s  division 
had  enjoyed  the  advance;  but,  after  the 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


103 


affair  at  Kamozine  church,  Capehart’s  and 
Pennington’s  brigades  were  sent  off  on  the 
right  towards  Dennisville.  After  running 
fights  of  several  miles  by  both  columns,  Cape- 
hart  encountered  towards  dark  a strong  force 
of  the  enemy  not  far  from  Bevil’s  ford,  where 
they  had  been  unable  to  cross.  The  rebel 
cavalry  had  now  been  pressed  back  to  a body 
of  their  infantry  guarding  trains,  who  re- 
ceived a charge  of  Capehart’s  brigade  with  a 
destructive  volley.  They  quickly  deployed, 
and  advanced  to  follow  up  this  temporary 
success,  forcing  the  Union  cavalry  back  half  a 
mile  or  more.  Wells,  however,  had  now  come 
up  by  the  other  road,  and  McKenzie’s  division 
(the  Army  of  the  James  cavalry)  was  also 
now  in  line,  and  the  enemy  seemed  perfectly 
content  to  press  no  further.  Lord’s  horse  bat- 
tery of  Second  Regulars — which  has  gained 
no  little  reputation  by  its  eminent  services 
in  this  campaign — added  its  persuasive  argu- 
ments in  checking  the  enemy.  Becoming 
dark,  however,  the  advance  now  encamped; 
yet  it  was  long  after  midnight  ere  the  last 
soldier  of  Sheridan’s  column  had  stretched 
himself  for  a short  rest.  During  the  day 
General  Sheridan  had  had  command  of  the 
Pifth  corps,  who  followed  the  cavalry  as 
closely  as  possible,  all  moving  on  the  main 


104 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


road  running  due  west  toward  Burkesville. 
The  enemy  were  moving  in  a parallel  direc- 
tion ; their  main  body,  however  north  of  the 
Appomattox  river,  endeavoring  to  cross  it  at 
Bevil’s  bridge.  When  Sheridan  encamped 
for  the  night,  therefore,  with  his  troops 
stretched  along  the  road  from  Namozine  to 
Deep  Creek,  Lee’s  main  body  was  a few  hours 
ahead,  marching  toward  Amelia  Court-House. 
This  was  on  the  route  to  Danville  or  Lynch- 
burg, and,  with  these  roads  still  open,  should 
Lee  continue  to  keep  ahead  of  us,  his  retreat 
to  either  of  these  places  would  in  all  possibil- 
ity be  successful. 

Grant’s  main  body  was  now  well  on  the 
march,  and  under  his  own  personal  direction. 
General  Parke’s  (Ninth)  corps  for  the  pres- 
ent was  left  to  garrison  Petersburg  and  vi- 
cinity, and  to  protect  the  trains.  This  corps 
afterwards  guarded  the  Southside  railroad 
and  otherwise  watched  the  rear  of  the  army. 
General  Weitzel,  with  his  troops,  was  taking 
care  of  Bichmond ; while  General  Meade,  in 
immediate  command  of  the  Sixth  corps  and 
Second  corps  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
General  Ord,  with  Poster’s  and  Turner’s 
divisions  of  the  Army  of  the  James,  and  Gen- 
eral Sheridan,  with  the  Fifth  corps  and  cav- 
alry, enjoying  the  post  of  honor  in  the  ah- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


105 


vance — -having  probably  twenty-three  thou- 
sand effective  men — constituted  the  moving 
columns  of  the  pursuing  forces. 

Lee’s  retreat  at  once  must  be  vigorously 
interrupted,  else  the  pursuit  was  now  likely 
to  become  a “ stern  chase,”  prolonging  for 
many  weeks  perhaps  the  operations  against 
him,  or  longer  upholding  the  organization  of 
the  Confederacy.  Ho  time  was  therefore  to 
be  lost.  General  Crook’s  division  wTas  in  its 
turn  now  given  the  advance,  and  long  be- 
fore daylight  on  the  morning  of  the  Fourth 
was  marching  to  strike  the  Danville  railroad. 
Sheridan  pushed  his  infantry  through  Dennis- 
ville  and  towards  Jetersville  station,  wThile  he 
occupied  Devin’s,  Custer’s,  and  McKenzie’s 
cavalry  by  harassing  the  enemy  wherever 
they  could  find  him.  Devin  found  Crook 
well  on  his  way.  His  route  at  first  lay 
through  a very  swampy  country,  but  having 
no  train,  nothing  was  allowed  to  delay  him. 
If  the  roads  were  not  passable  the  men  must 
pick  their  way  in  the  woods  and  in  the  soft 
soil  of  this  section  of  country,  the  wonder  is 
that  columns  of  troops  have  moved  with  any 
considerable  rapidity.  If  the  general  charac- 
ter of  the  roads  used  by  our  armies  in  this  war 
were  always  considered  by  writers  or  speakers 
on  this  subject,  our  American  campaigns 


106 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


would  compare  still  more  favorably  than  ever 
with  the  historical  standards  of  military  skill 
in  European  Avarfare.  Farther  on,  hoAvever, 
towards  the  Danville  railroad,  the  country 
opened  into  a series  of  well  cultivated  farms, 
or  “ plantations,”  as  they  are  rather  snob- 
bishly termed,  beautiful  in  many  instances, 
Avith  comfortable,  hospitable  looking  home- 
steads. Most  of  these  were  now  occupied, 
and  no  evidence  appeared  that  troops  of  either 
army  had  ever  visited  here  before.  The 
inhabitants  strolled  to  the  roadside,  some 
from  idle  curiosity  to  see  the  “ Yankee  cav- 
alry,” others  to  have  a look  at  General  Sheri- 
dan, of  whom  they  seemed  to  know  chiefly  in 
connection  with  great  destruction  of  property 
in  other  parts  of  Virginia  ; hence  most  of  these 
defenceless  people  appeared  in  order  to  ask 
protection.  It  was  more  amusing  to  our 
troops  than  to  these  applicants  when  they 
learned  that  before  they  had  finished  their 
petition  to  a passing  general,  their  barn  doors 
had  been  opened,  and  favorite  steeds  led 
forth  from  private  life  to  the  stern  reality  of 
“ grim  Ausaged  war.”  Oft  and  again  was 
seen  the  plough  standing  in  the  furroAV, 
while  the  weeping  but  unattractive  woman 
Avho  held  it  piteously  bewailed  her  grievances. 
“ Wouldn’t  the  general  leave  her  some  broken- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


107 


down  horse,  that  she  might  plough  her  fields 
and  save  her  family  from  threatened  starva- 
tion ? ” Rever  was  conscription  more  re- 
morselessly enforced  than  that  against  the 
equine  quadrupeds  in  the  country  subjected 
to  the  marches  of  Sheridan’s  cavalry.  But  if 
horses  in  the  enemy’s  country  are  not  “ con- 
traband of  war,”  then  what  is  ? Shortly 
after  noon,  Crook’s  advance  struck  the  Rich- 
mond and  Danville  railroad  at  Ordinary,  a 
small  station  two  or  three  miles  north  of 
Burkesville,  having  neither  seen  nor  heard  of 
any  enemy  except  a few  straggling  soldiers 
seeking  their  own  homes.  Officers  and  sol- 
diers had  expected  that  they  would  meet  here 
at  least  a guard,  or  perhaps  strike  a retreat- 
ing column.  Ties  and  rails  were  at  once  torn 
up  and  hopes  entertained  of  stopping  some 
passing  train.  But  a few  hours  before  sev- 
eral trains  had  hurried  by,  laden  with  bag- 
gage, convalescent  soldiers,  and  such  other 
miscellaneous  material  as  you  might  expect 
to  find  on  the  last  cars  available  for  the  flight 
of  “ The  Confederacy.” 

The  day  previous  Jeff  Davis  and  party  had 
passed,  but  the  miserable  people  in  the 
neighborhood  seemed  to  have  no  intelligence 
of  and  very  little  interest  in  his  movements. 
The  scouting  parties  brought  in  all  intelligent 


108 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


male  people,  white  or  black,  that  they  could 
find.  The  latter  came  most  cheerfully ; but 
the  proud  Virginian  often  pleaded  illness  and 
every  conceivable  excuse  to  remain  at  home 
and  to  avoid  meeting  face  to  face  those  whose 
magnanimity  would  pardon  his  crimes,  and 
whose  victorious  armies  would  rescue  his  fal- 
len state.  One  only  was  bold  enough  to  come 
voluntarily  among  our  troops.  He  was  a tall, 
lean,  tobacco-spitter,  perhaps  forty  years  of 
age,  with  eyes  of  rather  more  than  ordinary 
intelligence,  clean  face,  wiry  features,  flowing 
tawny  hair  that  denoted  a scarcity  of  barbers 
in  that  locality,  attired  in  ill-fitting  clothes, 
the  material  and  cut  of  which  was  certainly 
domestic,  and  topped  off  with  an  imperfect 
sombrero,  of  the  unique  but  inelegant  color 
of  iron  rust.  This  fellow,  with  considerable 
of  that  shrewdness  considered  a Yankee  mon- 
opoly, endeavored  to  impress  upon  the  group 
of  officers  he  had  chosen  as  his  audience,  his 
personal  importance  in  this  section.  He  had 
early  in  the  war,  so  ran  his  story,  served  a 
short  time  in  the  “ Southern  ” army,  but  for 
a long  time  past  had  been  performing  various 
official  duties  for  the  state  and  county  where 
he  now  resided.  He  had  not  given  Mr.  Davis 
his  unqualified  support,  but  of  course  could 
not  engage  in  any  special  hostility  to  his 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


109 


power.  He  had  heard  of  the  evacuation  of 
Richmond,  and  believed  the  “ President  ” had 
gone  to  Danville ; but  he  considered  that  the 
South  could  not  now  hold  out  much  longer. 
He  had  very  much  regretted  secession,  but 
was  obliged  to  go  with  his  state.  He  thought 
it  was  now  pretty  well  demonstrated  that  the 
“ South  ” could  fight  (which  nobody  ever 
seriously  doubted),  but  he  added,  as  if  by  way 
of  personal  apology,  that  his  poor  health  had 
relieved  him  from  service  in  the  field.  He 
had  endeavored  to  remain  as  quiet  as  possible 
during  the  war,  probably  because  his  health 
appeared  now  quite  perfect,  and  because  the 
conscripting  officers  might  otherwise  visit  him. 
He  continued  further  to  express  more 
extended  views  on  public  matters  in  general, 
not  forgetting  to  ask  the  usual  question  as  to 
what  the  Horth  would  do  with  the  niggers 
if  they  were  all  free,  as  though  a special  ap- 
propriation of  the  “ peculiar  institution  ” had 
been  decided  upon ; observing  all  the  while 
a manner  supposed  to  indicate  his  own  local 
influence,  and  a desire  to  fraternize  with  the 
invaders  of  his  “ sacred  soil.”  He  concluded 
by  hoping  that  as  he  was  not  a rich  man,  the 
general  would  see  that  he  was  not  molested 
or  disturbed  in  the  enjoyment  of  his  personal 
or  proprietary  rights.  This,  of  course,  was 


110 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


the  sole  object  of  his  visit,  and  crestfallen  was 
his  look  of  disappointment  then  on  hearing 
the  order  that  he  was  to  be  taken  into  custody 
for  the  present,  according  to  the  custom  in 
such  cases  during  active  campaign.  This  was 
a fair  example  of  those  visits  daily  received 
by  our  officers  from  the  Virginians  generally 
known  as  the  “ middle  class.” 

Crook’s  division  now  moved  north  along  the 
railroad  towards  Jetersville  station,  and  with 
the  head  of  the  other  column  on  the  more 
direct  route  which  Sheridan  was  directing  in 
person,  reached  there  late  in  the  afternoon. 

The  scouts  from  the  west  and  north  now 
brought  in  reports  of  the  enemy  from  these 
directions,  while  our  small  parties  were  dash- 
ing out  on  every  road  in  eager  pursuit  of  in- 
formation, or  in  hopes  of  making  captures. 
Lee’s  advance  had  passed  through  Amelia 
Court-House,  and  there  was  constant  skir- 
mishing. His  line  of  retreat  to  Danville  was 
now  occupied  by  a considerable  force  of  cav- 
alry, and  the  roads  towards  Lynchburg  threat- 
ened. To  have  preserved  both  of  these  roads 
Lee  should  have  made  every  sacrifice.  Here 
was  his  fatal  mistake.  Had  he  sent  a con- 
siderable force  of  infantry  at  once  and  at- 
tacked the  little  force  of  cavalry  with  which 
Sheridan  was  making  such  extensive  demon- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


Ill 


strations,  Lee  would  probably  have  been  suc- 
cessful in  making  bis  retreat  tolerably  secure. 
Although  his  army  was  not  probably  well  con- 
centrated at  Amelia  Court-House,  yet  this  was 
the  policy  our  officers  naturally  expected  from 
him,  and  Sheridan  himself  in  his  official  re- 
port says : “ It  seems  to  me  that  this  was  the 
only  chance  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia 
had  to  save  itself,  which  might  have  been  done 
had  Lee  promptly  attacked  and  driven  back 
the  comparatively  small  force  opposed  to  him, 
and  pursued  his  march  to  Burkesville  Junc- 
tion.” 

Jetersville  * is  only  eight  miles  north  of 
Burkesville,  on  the  Bichmond  and  Danville 
railroad,  and  is  the  first  station  south  of 
Amelia  Court-House.  The  country  about 
here  is  open,  and  probably  as  well  cultivated 
as  any  part  of  Southern  Virginia.  Jeters- 
ville itself  is  a small  village  on  the  railroad, 
of  scarcely  a dozen  dwellings,  a store  or  two, 
blacksmith  shop,  post-office,  and  small  rail- 
road depot,  where  were  found  a few  cars,  and, 
though  otherwise  barren  of  any  signs  of  thrift 

* I have  visited  Jetersville  since  the  war.  Fences 
are  in  many  places  replaced  ; old  breastworks  torn 
down  for  the  sake  of  the  logs  they  contained  ; and  a 
portion  of  the  battle-field  yielded  this  year  (1866)  a 
very  fine  crop  of  corn.  No  traces  of  fight  observ- 
able. 


112 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


and  enterprise,  the  little  place  wore  an  air  of 
comfort  and  respectability.  The  telegraph 
wires  had  been  cut  further  south,  and  a de- 
spatch from  Lee’s  commissary,  intended 
for  Danville  or  Lynchburg,  was  received  here. 
The  operator,  however,  fleeing  suddenly  at 
our  approach,  left  his  papers  behind. 

A man  on  a mule  rode  into  Sheridan’s  pick- 
ets, who  on  being  searched  was  found  to  carry 
in  his  boots  a message  in  duplicate  to  be  tele- 
graphed, one  to  the  supply  department  at 
Danville  and  the  other  to  Lynchburg.  This 
message  was  signed  by  Lee’s  commissary  gen- 
eral, and  said : “ The  army  is  at  Amelia  Court 
House,  short  of  provisions.  Send  300,000 
rations  quickly  to  Burkesville  Junction.” 
There  is  reason  to  believe  that  Sheridan’s 
scouts  conveyed  this  message  for  him  to  the 
telegraph  operator.  At  any  rate  Sheridan 
learned  that  rations  had  been  ordered  to  meet 
Lee’s  army  at  Burkesville.  Everything, 
therefore,  pointed  to  a battle  in  this  vicinity ; 
and  the  troops  did  not  rest  that  night  before 
the  dispositions  were  completed  and  the  lines 
fortified  to  meet  with  all  possible  strength  the 
violent  attack  which  there  was  now  every 
reason  to  suppose  would  be  made  by  the  enemy 
at  daylight.  At  night  Sheridan  sent  all  the 
important  information  he  had  gained  to  Gen- 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


113 


eral  Meade,  who,  with  the  Second  and  Sixth 
corps  infantry,  was  yet  a considerable  distance 
in  his  rear,  adding  in  his  urgent  manner  that 
if  these  troops  could  be  got  up  in  time  he  had 
hopes  of  capturing  or  dispersing  the  whole  of 
Lee’s  army.  The  events  of  the  next  day 
strengthened  this  belief.  Grant  remained 
during  the  day  with  the  command  of  General 
Ord,  which  marched  along  the  Southside  rail- 
road, and  on  the  night  of  the  4th  instant  en- 
camped near  Nottoway  Court  House. 

Note. — No  better  description  of  the  anxieties  and 
activities  of  the  days  and  nights  of  April  third  and 
fourth  can  be  given  than  may  be  spelled  from  some 
of  the  official  dispatches  tersely  narrating  the  events 
as  their  urgencies  demanded.  Here  are  some  speci- 
mens : 

City  Point,  Va.,  April  3,  1365 — 8.30  a.m.  Hon. 
Edwin  M.  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War.  This  morning 
General  Grant  reports  Petersburg  evacuated,  and  he 
is  confident  Richmond  also  is.  He  is  pushing  forward 
to  cut  off,  if  possible,  the  retreating  army.  I start 
to  him  in  a few  minutes. 

A.  Lincoln.” 

“ War  Department,  April  3, 1865—10.30  a.m.  The 
President : I congratulate  you  and  the  nation  on  the 
glorious  news  in  your  telegram  just  received.  Allow 
me  respectfully  to  ask  you  to  consider  whether  you 
ought  to  expose  the  nation  to  the  consequence  of  any 
disaster  to  yourself  in  the  pursuit  of  a treacherous 
and  dangerous  enemy  like  the  rebel  army.  If  it  was 
a question  concerning  yourself  only  I should  not 
presume  to  say  a word.  Commanding  Generals  are 
in  the  line  of  their  duty  running  such  risks  ; but  is 
the  political  head  of  a nation  in  the  same  condition? 

Edwin  M.  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War.” 


8 


1 u 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


“City  Point,  Va.,  April  3,  1865— 5 p.m.  Hon. 
Edwin  M.  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War  : Yours  re- 
ceived. Thanks  for  your  caution,  but  I have  already 
been  to  Petersburg.  Staid  with  General  Grant  an  hour 
and  a half  and  returned  here.  It  is  certain  now  that 
Richmond  is  now  in  our  hands,  and  I think  I will  go 
there  to-morrow.  I will  take  care  of  myself. 

A.  Lincoln.” 

“ Sutherland's  Station,  South  Side  Railroad, 
April  3, 1865.  Maj.  Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman,  Command- 
ing Military  Division  of  the  Mississippi : General : 
The  movements  of  which  I spoke  to  you  when  you 
were  here  commenced  on  the  28tli,  and,  notwith- 
standing two  days  of  rain  which  followed,  rendering 
roads  almost  impassable  even  for  cavalry,  terminated 
in  the  fall  of  both  Richmond  and  Petersburg  this 
morning.  The  mass  of  Lee’s  army  was  whipped 
badly  south  of  Petersburg,  and  to  save  the  remnant 
he  was  forced  to  evacuate  Richmond.  We  have 
about  12,000  prisoners,  and  stragglers  are  being  picked 
up  in  large  numbers.  From  all  causes  I do  not  esti- 
mate his  loss  at  less  than  25,000.  Sheridan,  with  his 
cavalry  and  one  corpsof  infantry,  was  on  our  extreme 
left.  The  attack  which  ended  the  contest  was  made 
in  the  center.  All  to  the  right  of  the  point  were 
forced  into  Petersburg,  or  killed,  or  captured.  Those 
to  the  left  of  it  were  cut  off  (our  left)  and  forced  to 
retreat  up  the  Appomattox.  Sheridan  pushed  in  and 
intercepted  them,  forcing  them  to  the  north  side, 
and  with  great  loss.  The  troops  from  Petersburg,  as 
well  as  those  from  Richmond,  retreated  between  the 
two  rivers,  and  there  is  every  indication  that  they 
will  endeavor  to  secure  Burkeville  and  Danville.  I 
am  pursuing  with  five  corps  and  the  cavalry  and 
hope  to  capture  or  disperse  a large  number  more. 
It  is  also  my  intention  to  take  Burkeville  and  hold  it 
until  it  is  seen  whether  it  is  a part  of  Lee’s  plan  to 
hold  Lynchburg  and  Danville.  The  railroad  from 
Petersburg  up  can  soon  be  put  in  condition  to  supply 
an  army  at  that  place.  If  Lee  goes  beyond  Danville 
you  will  have  to  take  care  of  him  with  the  force  you 
have  for  a while.  It  is  reported  here  that  Johnston 
has  evacuated  Raleigh  and  is  moving  up  to  join  Lee. 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


115 


Should  he  do  so  you  will  want  either  to  get  on  the 
railroad  south  of  him  to  hold  it  or  destroy  it  so  that 
it  will  take  him  a long  time  to  repair  damages. 
Should  Lee  go  to  Lynchburg  with  his  whole  force 
and  I get  Burkeville  there  will  be  no  special  use  in 
you  going  any  farther  into  the  interior  of  North 
Carolina.  There  is  no  contingency  that  I can  see 
except  my  failure  to  secure  Burkeville  that  will 
make  it  necessary  for  you  to  move  on  to  the  Roanoke 
as  proposed  when  you  were  here.  In  that  case  it 
might  be  necessary  for  you  to  operate  on  the  enemy’s 
lines  of  communication  between  Danville  and  Burke- 
ville, whilst  I would  act  on  them  from  Richmond 
between  the  latter  place  and  Lynchburg.  This 
army  has  note  iron  a most  decisive  victory  and  followed 
the  enemy.  This  is  all  that  it  ever  icanted  to  make  it 
as  good  an  army  as  ever  fought  a battle. 

Yours,  truly. 

U.  S.  Grant,  Lieutenant-General.” 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters,  Namozine  Church,  Va., 
April  3,  1865,4.10  p.m.  Lieut.  Gen.  U.  S.  Grant, 
Commanding  Armies  of  the  United  States,  General: 
At  11  a.m.  the  cavalry  advance  was  three  miles  be- 
yond Namozine  Creek,  on  the  main  road,  pushing 
forward.  Up  to  that  hour  General  Custer  had  cap- 
tured 1 gun  and  10  caissons.  The  resistance  made 
by  the  enemy’s  rear-guard  was  very  feeble.  The 
enemy  threw  their  artillery  ammunition  on  the 
sides  of  the  road  and  into  the  w-oods  and  then  set 
fire  to  the  fences  and  woods  through  which  the 
shells  were  strewn.  At  1 p.m.  our  advance  was  at 
Deep  Creek,  on  the  direct  road  to  Bevill’s  Bridge. 
We  captured  the  enemy’s  rear-guard,  numbering 
between  200  and  300  men,  with  1 battle-flag.  Brevet 
Brigadier-General  Wells’  cavalry  brigade  was  on  the 
direct  road  to  Amelia  Court-House,  seven  miles  be- 
yond Namozine  Church.  Prisoners  report  quite  a 
force  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  on  this  road.  The  roads 
are  strewn  with  burning  and  broken  down  caissons, 
ambulances,  wagons,  and  debris  of  all  descriptions. 
Up  to  this  hour  we  have  taken  about  1,200  prisoners 
mostly  of  A.P.  Hill’s  Corps,  and  all  accounts  report 
the  wrnods  filled  with  deserters  and  stragglers,  princi- 


116 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


pally  of  this  corps.  One  of  our  men,  recaptured,  re- 
ports that  not  more  than  one  in  five  of  ttie  rebels 
have  arms  in  their  hands.  P.  H.  Sheridan,  Major- 
General.” 

“City  Point,  Va.,  April  4,  1865,8  a.m.  (Received 
8.45  a.m)  Hon.  Edwin  M.  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War. 
General  Weitzel  telegraphs  from  Richmond  that  of 
railroad  stock  he  found  there  28  locomotives,  44  pas- 
senger and  baggage  cars,  and  106  freight  cars.  At 
3.30  this  evening  General  Grant,  from  Sutherland’s 
Station,  ten  miles  from  Petersburg  toward  Burke- 
ville,  telegraphs  as  follows : ‘ General  Sheridan 

picked  up  1,200  prisoners  to-day,  and  from  300  to 
500  more  have  been  gathered  by  other  troops.  The 
majority  of  the  arms  that  were  left  in  the  hands  of 
the  remnant  of  Lee’s  army  are  now  scattered  be- 
tween Richmond  and  where  his  troops  are.  The 
country  is  also  full  of  stragglers  ; the  line  of  retreat 
marked  with  artillery,  ammunition,  burned  or  charred 
wagons,  caissons,  ambulances,  etc.’  A.  Lincoln.” 

“ Wilson’s  Station,  Va.,  April  4,  1865,  Hon.  E.  M. 
Stanton,  Secretary  of  War:  The  army  is  pushing 
forward  in  the  hope  of  overtaking  or  dispersing  the 
remainder  of  Lee’s  army.  Sheridan,  with  his  cavalry 
and  Fifth  Corps  is  between  this  and  the  Appomat- 
tox ; General  Meade,  with  the  Second  and  Sixth, 
following  ; General  Ord  is  following  the  line  of  the 
South  Side  Railroad.  All  of  the  enemy  that  retain 
anything  like  organization  have  gone  north  of  the 
Appomattox,  and  are  apparently  heading  for  Lynch- 
burg. Their  losses  have  been  very  heavy.  Houses 
throughout  the  country  are  nearly  all  used  as  hos- 
pitals for  wounded  men.  In  every  direction  I hear 
of  rebel  soldiers  pushing  for  home,  some  in  large, 
and  some  in  small  squads,  and  generally  without 
arms.  The  cavalry  have  pursued  so  closely  that  the 
enemy  have  been  forced  to  destroy  probablj'  the 
greater  part  of  their  transportation,  caissons,  and 
munitions  of  war.  The  number  of  prisoners  cap- 
tured yesterday  will  exceed  2,000.  From  the  28th  of 
March  to  the  present  time  our  loss  in  killed,  wounded 
and  captured  will  not  probably  reach  7,000,  of  whom 
from  1.500  to  2,000  were  captured,  and  many  but 
slightly  wounded.  I shall  continue  the  pursuit  as 
long  as  there  appears  to  be  any  use  of  it.  U.  S.  Grant.” 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


117 


“ Cavalry  Headquarters,  April  4,  1865.  Lieut.  - 
Gen.  U.  S.  Grant,  Commanding  Armies  of  the 
United  States  : General : General  Merritt  encamped 
last  night  at  Deep  Creek.  He  met  there  a strong 
force  of  infantry.  There  is  a large  train  on  the 
west  side  of  the  creek.  Everything  was  in  confusion 
yesterday,  the  enemy  moving  to  the  north  side  of  the 
Appomattox,  as  if  ignorant  of  the  evacuation  of  Rich- 
mond. If  we  press  on  we  will  no  doubt  get  the  whole 
army.  I will  make  for  a point  on  the  railroad  interme- 
diate between  Amelia  Court-House  and  Burkeville. 
General  Crook  will  cover  General  Ord’s  front. 
Major  Young,  of  my  scouts,  captured  General  Bar- 
ringer yesterday.  The  River  road  is  bad,  no  bridges 
over  creeks.  P.  H.  Sheridan,  Major-General,  U.  S. 
Army,  Commanding.-’ 

“ Wilson’s  Station,  April  4,  1865.  Major-General 
Sheridan  : An  engineer  from  the  South  Side  Rail- 
road is  just  in  from  Burkeville.  He  reports  that 
Davis  and  cabinet  passed  there  about  3 a.  m.  yester- 
day, going  south.  There  was  no  accumulation  of 
supplies  there  except  two  train  loads,  which  had 
been  cut  off  from  Petersburg.  These  were  run  up 
the  road  to  Farmville.  It  was  understood  that  Lee 
was  accompanying  his  troops  and  that  he  was  bound 
for  Danville  by  the  way  of  Farmville.  Unless  you 
have  information  more  positive  of  the  movements 
of  the  enemy  push  on  with  all  dispatch  to  Farmville 
and  try  to  intercept  the  enemy  there.  I will  push 
two  divisions  of  Ord’s  troops  as  far  toward  Burke- 
ville to-morrow  as  possible.  If  you  have  not  already 
done  so  send  some  cavalry  over  to  him.  It  will  be 
highly  essential  -when  he  reaches  Burkeville  to  throw 
down  the  Danville  road  and  out  toward  the  Farm- 
ville and  Danville  Pike.  U.  S.  Grant  ; Lieutenant- 
General.” 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters,  April  4,  1865, 12  m.  Lieut.- 
Gen.  U.  S.  Grant,  Commanding  Armies  of  the  United 
States : General : General  Merritt  reports  that  the 
force  of  the  enemy  in  his  front  have  all  crossed 
to  the  north  side  of  the  Appomattox  River,  and 
from  the  best  information  he  can  obtain  General 
Merritt  is  of  the  opinion  that  the  enemy  is  retreat- 
ing toward  Lynchburg.  General  Crook  has  no 


118 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


doubt  reached  the  Danville  railroad  before  this,  and 
I am  now  moving  out  the  Fifth  Corps  from  Deep 
Creek  as  rapidly  as  possible  in  the  direction  of 
Amelia  Court-House.  Very  respectfully.  P.  H. 
Sheridan,  Major-General,  U.  S.  Army,  Command- 
ing. The  number  of  prisoners  captured  yesterday 
will  be  nearly  2,000.” 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters.  On  the  Road  to  Jeters- 
ville,  April  4.  1865.  Major-General  Crook,  Com- 
manding Cavalry:  Move  up  to  Jetersville.  I am 
making  for  that  point.  Send  a party  to  the  Junction. 
P.  H.  Sheridan,  Major-General.” 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters,  Jetersville,  on  Richmond 
and  Danville  Railroad,  April  4,  1865.  Brevet  Major- 
General  Merritt,  Commanding  First  and  Third 
Cavalry  Divisions : General : The  major-general 
commanding  directs  that  you  push  on  rapidly  with 
your  command  to  this  place  (Jetersville).  From 
the  reports  of  prisoners  and  deserters  we  learn  that 
the  rebel  army  is  in  the  vicinity  of  Amelia  Court- 
House,  with  all  their  trains,  etc.,  and  that  they  are 
moving  this  way,  toward  Burkeville  Station.  We 
have  just  captured  telegraphic  dispatches  from  the 
chief  commissary  of  General  Lee’s  army  ordering  up 
to  Amelia  Court-House  200,000  rations  ; also  dis- 
patches ordering  up  forage,  etc.,  to  the  above-named 
place.  General  Mackenzie  has  been  engaged  with 
the  enemy  at  Amelia  Court-House  during  this 
afternoon.  From  all  accounts  the  advance  of  the 
rebel  army  cannot  be  more  than  three  or  four  miles 
from  here  now.  Crook’s  division  of  cavalry  is  now 
going  into  position  ; also  the  First  Division  of  the 
Fifth  Army  Corps.  It  is  important  that  you  should 
come  on  quickly.  The  enemy,  it  would  appear, 
thought  that  our  forces  were  following  up  Macken- 
zie, and  have  no  idea  up  to  the  present  time  that  we 
are  here.  Orders  have  been  sent  back  to  hurry  up 
the  Second  Army  Corps  and  the  remaining  divisions 
of  the  Fifth  Army  Corps.  Very  respectfully,  J.  W. 
Forsyth,  Chief  of  Staff.” 

“ Headquarters  Cavalry  Division,  April  4, 1865,  5.30 
P.  M.  Captain  Baker,  Acting  Assistant  Adjutant- 
General.  Captain  : I am  at  present  at  Five  Forks. 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


119 


Have  bad  a slight  skirmish.  Have  heard  from  many 
sources  that  there  is  a large  force  of  infantry  at 
Amelia  Court-House.  As  I have  only  about  1,100 
men  with  me  I have  not  deemed  it  proper  to  attack 
until  I heard  from  either  General  Crook  or  yourself. 
If  I do  not  hear  from  you  before  dark  I shall  retire 
some  little  distance  to  go  into  camp.  I learned  from 
a deserter  belonging  to  Mahone’s  division  that  a 
large  part  of  the  rebel  army  is  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  Amelia  Court-House.  Please  let  me  hear 
from  you  as  soon  as  possible  of  your  own  position, 
that  of  General  Devin,  and  that  of  the  infantry.  I 
have  the  honor  to  be.  very  respectfully,  your  obedi- 
ent servant,  R.  S.  Mackenzie,  Brigadier-General, 
U.  S.  Volunteers,  Commanding  Cavalry.” 

“ April  4,  1865,  Brigadier-General  Forsyth,  Chief 
of  Staff.  General : I find  our  infantry  on  the  road 
to  my  left,  after  turning,  as  directed,  to  move  to 
General  Crook’s  front  and  right.  If  I was  opposed, 
and  found  resistance  in  crossing,  I can  cross  at  Deep 
Run,  where  I was,  and  will  do  so  with  my  whole 
command,  as  I think  it  the  best  thing  I can  do.  The 
crossing  is  bad,  but  the  only  ford  on  the  creek,  so 
the  people  say.  I will  move  toward  Amelia  Court- 
House  if  what  is  developed  on  the  other  side  Deep 
Creek  does  not  lead  me  to  move  toward  Bevill’s 
Bridge.  I think  the  enemy  has  gone  to  Amelia 
Coui't-House.  If  this  movement  is  not  in  accordance 
with  the  General’s  desire  let  me  know.  I will  send 
Mackenzie  to  General  Crook  as  soon  as  I get  in  strik- 
ing distance  of  him.  Very  respectfully,  your  obe- 
dient servant.  W.  Merritt,  Brevet-Major-General.” 

“ April  4,  1865,  Brigadier-General  Forsyth,  Chief 
of  staff : General,  I send  you  a black  boy  with  very 
important  information.  Let  the  General  see  him 
and  question  him.  He  says  they  mean  fight  at 
Amelia  Court-House.  He  is  willing  to  tell,  and 
knows  a great  deal.  The  works  in  our  front  are 
heavily  manned  with  infantry.  I will  stop  here  to- 
night. Will  you  please  let  the  boy  come  back  to  me, 
I want  him  for  a servant.  Very  respectfully,  your 
obedient  servant,  W.  Merritt,  Brevet-Major-Gen- 
eral.” 


120 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


“Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac,  April  4, 
1865,  2.45  p.  M.  Major-General  Sheridan  : Will  you 
let  me  know  to  what  point  you  are  moving  and  by 
what  roads  ? This  is  necessary  for  me  to  determine 
my  own  orders  for  my  command.  Geo.  G.  Meade, 
Major-General.” 

“Cavalry  Headquarters,  Jetersville,  Api'il  4,  1865, 
7 P.  M.  Major-General  Meade,  commanding  Arm}'  of 
the  Potomac : General : The  rebel  army  is  in  my 
front,  three  miles  distant,  with  all  its  trains.  If  the 
Sixth  Corps  can  hurry  up  we  will  have  sufficient 
strength.  I will  hold  my  ground  unless  I am  driven 
from  it.  I understand  that  Humphreys  is  just  after 
the  Fifth  Army  Corps.  My  men  are  out  of  rations 
and  some  wagons  should  follow  quickly  after  the 
Fifth  Corps.  Please  notify  General  Grant.  P.  H. 
Sheridan,  Major-General,  commanding. 

P.  S. — The  enemy  are  moving  from  Amelia  Court- 
House,  via  Jetersville  and  Burke’s  Station,  to  Dan- 
ville, Jeff.  Davis  passed  over  this  railroad  yesterday 
to  Danville,  P.  H.  Sheridan,  Major-General.” 

“ April  4,  1865.  4 P.  M.  Brigadier-General  Forsyth, 
Chief  of  Staff  : General : I have  met  the  enemy  in 
considerable  force  near  Beaver  Pond  Creek.  They 
seem  to  be  inclined  to  hold  the  forks  of  the  roads  to 
Amelia  Court-House  and  Goode’s  Bridge.  (I  have 
just  received  a report  from  Captain  Whiteford,  with 
Mackenzie’s  division.  I enclose  it.)  From  all  this  there 
is  no  doubt  about  their  holding  Goode’s  and  Bevill’s 
Bridges,  with  a view  of  crossing  Appomattox.  The 
force  I sent  on  Bevill’s  Bridge  road  reports  meeting 
the  enemy.  In  how  great  a force  I do  not  know.  I 
will  hold  the  forks  at  Tabernacle  Church  and  find 
out  what  I can.  Prisoners  just  taken  report  Heth, 
Johnson,  Pickett  in  our  front  with  all  the  enemy’s 
cavalry.  They  use  their  artillery  freely.  We  have 
taken  prisoners  from  Heth’s  and  Johnson’s  divisions. 
The  enemy  does  seem  inclined  to  hold  the  roads,  but 
not  to  advance.  Prisoners  just  taken  report  that 
some  said  they  were  going  to  Amelia  Court-House, 
and  others  across  the  Appomattox.  Negroes  report 
all  trains  gone  to  the  bridges  on  Appomattox.  Very 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY.  121 

respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  W.  Merritt, 
Brevet-Major-General.” 

“ Orders.  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
April  4,  1S65 — 9.30  p.m.  The  troops  of  the  Second 
Corps  and  Sixth  Corps  will  be  put  in  motion  to-mor- 
row morning  by  3 a.m.  (regardless  of  every  considera- 
tion but  the  one  of  finishing  the  war) ; will  move  to- 
ward Jetersville  and  the  Danville  railroad.  Three 
days’ rations  for  the  cavalry,  Fifth,  Second,  and  Sixth 
Corps,  together  with  the  usual  amount  of  ammuni- 
tion for  the  Fifth  Corps,  which  will  answer  for  the 
whole  army,  and  such  ambulances  as  are  with  the 
trains,  will  to-morrow  have  the  right  of  way,  and  the 
troops  will  endeavor  to  let  them  pass.  All  staff  offi- 
cers will  see  that  all  other  wagons  are  promptly 
parked  out  of  the  road  where  they  may  be,  on  the  re- 
ceipt of  this  order.  Should  it  be  "found  impossible  to 
move  the  supply  train  herein  indicated,  every  effort 
will  be  made  to  supply  the  troops  by  driving  beef  and 
by  packing  subsistence  on  pack-mules.  The  major- 
general  commanding  impresses  upon  all  officers  and 
men  the  necessity  of  promptitude  and  of  undergoing 
the  necessities  and  privations  they  are  herein  enjoined 
to.  The  major-general  commanding  feels  he  has  but 
to  recall  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  the  glorious  suc- 
cess of  the  oft  repeated  gallant  contests  with  the 
Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  and  when  he  assures 
the  army  that,  in  the  opinion  of  so  distinguished  an 
officer  as  General  Sheridan,  it  only  requires  these 
sacrifices  to  bring  this  long  and  desperate  conflict  to 
a triumphant  issue,  the  men  of  this  army  will  show 
that  they  ai'e  as  willing  to  die  of  fatigue  and  starva- 
tion as  they  have  ever  shown  themselves  readjr  to 
fall  by  the  bullets  of  the  enemy. 

Geo.  G.  Meade,  Major-General.” 

“Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac,  Near  Deep 
Run.  April  4, 1865 — 11  p.m.  Major-General  Sheridan  ; 
Your  dispatch  by  Colonel  Newhall  received.  I send 
you  my  order  and  my  dispatch — to  Lieutenant-Gen- 
eral Grant.  These  will  explain  themselves  and  save 
repetition.  The  Second,  and  Sixth  Corps  shall  be 
with  you  as  soon  as  possible.  In  the  meantime  your 
wishes  or  suggestions  as  to  any  movement  other  than 


122 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


the  simple  one  of  overtaking  you  will  be  promptly 
acceded  to  by  me,  regardless  of  any  other  considera- 
tion than  the  vital  one  of  destroying  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia,  which  I judge  from  your  dispatch 
you  consider  as  practicable. 

Geo.  G.  Meade,  Major-General.” 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters,  Near  Jeter’s  Station,  Va., 
April  4,  1865 — 11  p.m.  (Received  11.30  p.m.)  Bvt. 
Maj.  Gen.  W.  Merritt.  General : The  major-general 
commanding  directs  that  you  move  your  command 
rapidly  to  this  place.  General  Sheridan  thinks  the 
enemy  are  trying  to  hold  your  command  whilst  they 
are  moving  their  trains  in  an  opposite  direction, 
toward  Danville  or  Lynchburg.  General  Mackenzie 
is  ordered  to  feel  the  enemy  frequently  and  make 
constant  demonstrations  without  pushing  them  too 
hard,  merely  holding  them,  in  fact,  while  we  make 
other  arrangements  here.  The  General  orders  that 
you  take  the  shortest  and  most  practicable  route  to 
this  point.  It  is  important  that  you  should  be  here 
early  in  the  morning. 

The  whole  rebel  army,  trains,  artillery,  etc.,  are 
now  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  Amelia  Court- 
House,  and  were  trying  to  make  their  way  to  Dan- 
ville via  this  point  and  Burkeville.  They  evidently  sup- 
posed from  your  and  Mackenzie's  attack  to-day  that 
you  were  the  advance  of  our  army , and  we  ivere  moving 
up  in  your  rear.  They  had  no  idea  that  we  would 
strike  this  point,  and  are  evidently  surprised.  Tele- 
graphic dispatches  from  General  Lee’s  chief  quarter- 
master and  commissary  of  subsistence,  ordering 
200,000  rations  and  forage,  were  captured  here  this 
evening.  I think  we  have  received  all  of  your  dis- 
patches of  to-day.  Some  of  your  men  were  here.  I 
will  keep  your  colored  boy  for  you ; also  the  ser- 
geant. Jas.  W.  Forsyth,  Chief  of  Staff.” 

(All  above  are  quoted  from  Official  War  Records 
Vol.  46,  Part  III.) 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


123 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Wednesday,  April  5th. — The  daybreak  Cavalry  dashes. —Bril- 
liant exploit  of  Davies. — The  captures. — His  modest  report. — 
Crook  arrives  to  his  relief  and  secures  the  retreat. — Irwin 
Gregg’s  brigade  cut  off  in  the  fight.— The  enemy  renew  the 
attack  in  force. — Battle  of  Jetersville. — Sad  losses. — The  tell- 
tale captured  note. — Sheridan  writes  Grant  “ I see  no  escape 
for  Lee.” — How  the  day  closed.— Some  dispatches. 

With  the  morning  of  the  5th  of  April 
opened  a grand  series  of  cavalry  dashes  into 
the  lines  of  the  retreating  army  which  have 
made  the  exploits  of  these  few  days  so  notori- 
ous and  brilliant. 

Before  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the  5th 
General  Davies,  with  his  brigade  of  not  more 
than  twelve  hundred  men,  marched  from  the 
bivouac  at  Jetersville,  with  orders  to  make  a 
reconnaissance  toward  the  north  and  west. 
He  had  not  gone  over  three  or  four  miles  be- 
fore he  learned  of  heavy  movements  of  troops 
and  wagon  trains  on  the  main  road  leading 
from  Amelia  Court  House  toward  Lynchburg. 
Pursuing  the  general  principle  (Hapoleon’s 
maxim),  never  to  hesitate  to  strike  a retreat- 
ing enemy,  and  in  obedience  to  the  true  spirit 


124 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


of  cavalry,  the  opportunity  here  presented  was 
at  once  accepted.  General  Davies  determined 
to  attempt  the  capture  or  destruction  of  the 
train  and  its  escort,  or  as  much  of  it  as  pos- 
sible, and  then  retire  by  the  most  feasible 
route  before  any  considerable  force  of  the  en- 
emy could  reach  him  from  Amelia  Coiirt 
House.  His  small  command  comprised  the 
Twenty-fourth  and  Tenth  Hew  York,  the 
First  Pennsylvania,  and  First  Hew  Jersey, 
and  were  as  fine  a body  of  cavalry  for  their 
size  as  could  be  found  in  the  service.  The 
last  two  regiments  served  alongside  of  each 
other  during  the  whole  war,  and  there  had 
grown  up  between  them  a strong  attachment 
and  mutual  confidence.  They  were  “ twins,’’ 
always  cherishing  in  highest  regard  the  mem- 
ory of  their  first  brigade  commander,  and 
formerly  colonel  of  the  First  Pennsylvania, 
the  gallant  Bayard,  who  fell  at  Fredericks- 
burg, the  youngest  major-general  and  the 
most  prominent  cavalry  officer  in  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac.  Side  by  side  again  and 
again  had  these  two  famous  little  regiments 
fought  together  in  the  common  cause,  and 
now  again  they  led  off  in  the  brilliant  encoun- 
ters of  this  morning. 

Coming  upon  their  enemy  unawares,  his 
confusion  was  their  enjoyment.  The  pros- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


125 


pect  of  capture,  plunder,  or  destruction  of  a 
large  train  of  army  wagons  induces  inspira- 
tions appreciated  only  by  veterans,  while, 
united  to  the  rivalry  of  generous  ambition  and 
a strong  esprit  de  corps,  it  renders  a body  of 
men  impetuous,  resolute,  and  invincible. 
So  it  was  this  morning.  As  soon  as  Davies 
struck  the  rebel  line  of  march,  part  of  his 
command  was  sent  toward  the  Court  House, 
while  another  portion  galloped  toward  Paine’s 
cross-roads.  The  scenes  now  were  no  less 
amusing  than  demoralizing.  The  train, 
which  must  have  extended  for  several  miles 
along  the  road,  was  escorted  by  a respectable 
body  of  cavalry  in  its  advance,  with  a strong 
force  of  infantry  in  its  rear,  in  addition  to 
smaller  detachments  from  both  arms,  as  well 
as  stragglers  scattered  here  and  there  among 
the  wagons.  Men  and  animals  were  much 
in  need  of  rest  and  refreshment.  Since  leav- 
ing Petersburg  they  had  been  almost  con- 
stantly moving,  and  the  dawn  of  this  morn- 
ing found  them  a good  distance  ahead  of 
Lee’s  main  body,  with  a reasonable  prospect 
of  a long  march  and  a quiet  day.  Without 
notice,  however,  our  men  wTere  now  among 
them,  dashing  up  and  down  the  road,  now 
shooting  the  drivers,  now  charging  their 
guards ; now  unceremoniously  overhauling 


126 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


the  contents  of  a heavily  laden  wagon,  or 
attempting  to  drive  off  mules,  drivers,  wagons 
and  all.  Scared  contrabands  grinned,  and 
impudent  teamsters  looked  gloomy  as  the 
miscellaneous  paraphernalia  of  an  army  bag- 
gage train  was  hurriedly  turned  inside  out 
by  the  irreverent  “ Yankees.”  There  were 
personal  encounters,  too.  Soldiers  and  small 
parties  were  scattered  for  two  or  three 
miles  up  and  down  the  road.  Nearly  every 
one  had  his  own  separate  contest.  A new 
and  elegant  battery  of  five  Armstrong  guns 
was  found  in  the  train,  and  at  once  turned 
toward  our  lines.  This  battery  had  ap- 
parently never  been  used,  and  was  complete 
in  all  its  appointments,  even  to  a fine  new 
russet  leather  harness,  and  had  arrived  in 
Richmond  not  long  before  the  evacuation.  It 
had  been  imported  by  blockade  running  from 
our  “ neutral  ” English  cousins  at  a great  ex- 
pense, said  to  have  been  borne  entirely  by  an 
enthusiastic  Captain  Picketts.  But  the  ad- 
vance and  rear  guards  of  the  train  were  ap- 
proaching. There  was  no  time  to  lose,  and 
much  was  to  be  done.  It  was  evidently  im- 
possible to  get  away  with  any  considerable 
part  of  the  wagons,  and  destruction  was  there- 
fore the  order  of  the  day.  The  traces  were 
cut,  mules  and  drivers  impressed,  and  the 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


127 


wheels  were  chopped  into  kindling  wrnod. 
The  skirmishing  grew  more  lively;  the  pris- 
oners and  captures  were  moved  as  rapidly  as 
worn-out  mules  and  reluctant  “ Secesh  ” 
would  permit  ; and  the  fires  quickly  lighted. 
It  was  amazing  to  see  in  what  incredibly 
short  space  of  time  complete  inventories  were 
taken  of  the  various  contents  of  a single 
wagon.  It  was  likewise  amazing  to  note  the 
judicious  selection  therefrom  by  our  soldiers 
of  portable  articles  of  use  and  value ; and  this 
was  a curious  index  of  personal  taste.  With 
some,  money,  jewelry,  and  wearing  apparel, 
when  desirable,  seemed  to  be  the  favorite 
choice ; while  one  eager  party  was  obliged  to 
disperse  and  desist  in  their  interesting  en- 
deavors to  force  a salamander  safe.  Some 
headquarter  wagons  offered  elegant  uniforms 
and  loads  of  rebel  official  literature;  but  there 
was  no  time  for  further  entertainment  of  this 
character.  Our  men  were  getting  short  of 
ammunition  and  had  their  retreat  impeded 
with  their  captures,  which  now  footed  up  to 
two  or  three  hundred  mules  and  horses,  pris- 
oners, a battery,  several  stands  of  colors — - 
some  of  the  latter  taken  out  of  wagons — be- 
sides quite  a number  of  prominent  rebel  offi- 
cers. The  scene  along  the  road  as  we  left 
it  filled  with  burning  wagons,  was  one  elon- 


128 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


gated  panorama  of  fiery  destruction.  Tlie 
raid  was  now  a complete  success ; much  val- 
uable information  had  been  gained,  a large 
train  destroyed,  and  a main  road  of  great  use 
to  the  enemy  seriously  encumbered  with  the 
debris.  General  Lee’s  headquarters  which  it 
was  afterwards  learned  were  not  more  than 
half  a mile  from  the  scene,  were  roused  by 
the  firing,  and  hurriedly  removed  to  escape 
capture.  His  whole  army  was  on  the  alert 
and  prudence  demanded  that  our  little  hand- 
ful of  men  should  retire.  Meanwhile  at 
Jetersville,  nothing  had  been  heard  from  Gen  - 
eral Davies ; so  at  seven  or  eight  o’clock  in 
the  morning  Crook  started  to  his  support  with 
the  remainder  of  his  division. 

At  Amelia  Springs  is  a large  hotel-looking 
establishment  (now  a female  seminary), 
cozily  situated  among  a series  of  pleasant  hills 
and  dales,  contiguous  to  Sulphur  Springs  and 
seemingly  an  inviting  watering-place ; now, 
however,  quite  barren  and  deserted.  There 
General  Crook  first  heard  from  Davies.  A 
motley  crew  of  rebel  officers,  soldiers,  contra- 
bands, and  teamsters  mounted  on  mules  and 
horses,  some  with  saddles,  some  without,  some 
with  the  team  harness,  others  with  extempo- 
rized rope  bridles,  and  still  others  on  foot  or 
without  any  equipment  at  all,  blocked  up  the 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY.  129 

narrow  road.  Headed  by  an  imposing  display 
of  rebel  colors  and  battle-flags,  guarded  by  a 
small  detachment,  and  followed  by  the  cap- 
tured guns  creeping  along  with  reluctant  driv- 
ers, the  sight  of  this  unwieldy  and  hetero- 
genous column,  told  the  whole  story  of  the 
morning’s  achievements.  Ho  official  report 
was  necessary  to  explain  it.  Crook  pressed 
on,  content  with  now  and  then  asking  a pris- 
oner where  he  had  belonged,  and  shortly  after 
met  with  Davies’s  brigade  retreating  as  slowly 
as  possible  before  a much  superior  force  of 
infantry.  The  soldiers  seemed  ahnost  wild 
with  the  excitement  of  success ; every  counte- 
nance beamed  with  delight.  Officers  grasped 
each  other  in  hearty  congratulation.  General 
Davies  rode  up  to  his  commander  with  a pleas- 
ant salute,  and  modestly  reported  to  General 
Crook,  “ General : I have  made  my  reconnais- 
sance.” Davies  is  a man  of  remarkably  short 
stature,  and  small  but  neat  in  form.  He  is 
about  thirty  years  of  age,  and  at  the  breaking 
out  of  the  war  was  a lawyer  of  several  years’ 
practise  in  Hew  York  city,  having  graduated 
at  Columbia  college.  He  entered  the  service 
as  a line  officer  in  the  famous  Fifth  Hew  York 
or  Duryea  Zouaves,  in  which  Warren,  Kilpat- 
rick, and  other  officers  now  of  high  rank  were 
his  cotemporaries ; but  shortly  after  the  affair 
9 


130 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


of  Big  Bethel  he  obtained  his  transfer  to  a 
field  appointment  in  a New  York  cavalry  regi- 
ment, and  was  soon  thereafter  made  colonel 
of  the  Harris  Light  Cavalry.  An  excellent 
disciplinarian,  gallant,  ambitious,  able,  and 
commended  by  his  superiors,  his  friends  found 
ample  opportunities  to  press  his  promotion. 
He  was  made  brigadier-general  in  1863, 
brevet  major-general  in  March,  1865,  and 
soon  after  Lee’s  surrender  was  appointed  full 
major-general  of  volunteers.  There  are  few 
officers  of  his  rank  in  the  army  who  have  so 
clean  a record  of  faithful  and  continuous  ser- 
vice. His  handsome  success  of  this  morning 
in  the  execution  of  orders  of  a most  general 
character  has  added  not  a little  to  his  reputa- 
tion. 

The  rebels  vigorously  and  with  a strong 
force  pushed  back  our  men  while  another  de- 
tachment sought  to  cut  off  and  recapture  the 
guns  and  prisoners ; but  the  boldness  and 
celerity  of  our  movements  deceived  them. 

The  appearance  of  the  captures  in  our  bi- 
vouacs at  Jetersville  was  the  occasion  for  in- 
tense enthusiasm.  Newspaper  correspondents 
who  had  not  been  able  to  collect  anysensation- 
items  for  the  last  day  or  two,  despatched  a 
variety  of  glowing  reports  ; while  the  effect  on 
the  rank  and  file  was  hearty  and  encourag* 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


131 


ing.  Crook’s  retreat  was,  however,  by  no 
means  simple  or  easy.  The  generals  sat  down 
with  the  maps  to  consult ; but  a fresh  outbreak 
of  musketry  almost  over  their  heads  inter- 
fered. 

Gregg’s  brigade  was  formed  at  once,  and 
Davies  allowed  to  retire  for  recuperation,  but 
the  rebels  appeared  to  be  in  great  numbers  in 
Gregg’s  front  and  on  both  of  his  flanks.  He 
seemed  suddenly  surrounded,  and  himself 
with  a large  portion  of  his  men  and  horses 
narrowly  escaped  capture. 

Meanwhile  as  the  day  wore  on  the  rebels 
had  moved  down  the  railroad  from  Amelia 
Court  House,  reconnoitering  and  skirmishing. 
Finally  towards  sunset,  finding  nothing  in 
their  front  but  cavalry,  they  seemed  deter- 
mined to  break  through.  Their  whole  army 
had  been  disposed  for  battle  and  once  more 
their  cavalry  lines  were  pushed  by  heavy  in- 
fantry. Smith’s  brigade,  with  a portion  of 
Davies’s,  as  firmly  received  them  in  a spirit 
well  illustrated  by  an  episode.  The  First 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry  had  been  ordered  to 
his  support,  and  was  commanded  by  a gallant 
major  named  Thomas.  Arrayed  in  full  uni- 
form,  and  decorated  with  the  hat,  buff  sash, 
and  gauntlets  of  the  rebel  general,  Fitzhugh 
Lee  [as  Thomas  believed],  as  a part  of  the 


132 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


results  of  that  morning’s  captures,  Thomas 
rallied  his  men  around  an  elegant  and  con- 
spicuous stand  of  colors  handsomely  embroid- 
ered with  the  arms  of  Pennsylvania.  The 
enemy  were  at  first  repulsed,  as  though 
surprised  at  the  audacious  charges  of  our 
men,  and  a soldier  of  the  First  Pennsylvania 
captured  a rebel  color.  Its  re-capture  was  at- 
tempted, and  in  the  melee  the  color  fell  into 
the  hands  of  a member  of  the  Thirteenth 
Ohio. 

It  was  the  standing  order  of  the  army  that 
the  captors  of  the  enemy’s  colors  should  re- 
ceive furloughs,  and  quite  likely  congressional 
medals,  and  other  privileges  would  be  added. 
The  Pennsylvania  soldier,  therefore,  com- 
plained on  the  field  to  his  major  that  he  was 
entitled  to  the  color.  “ Ho,”  said  the  major, 
“ the  Thirteenth  had  as  much  right  to  that 
color  as  we  did.  We  will  capture  another  one, 
and  make  the  thing  even ! ” And  soon  they 
did  take  another  one,  hut  the  noble  major 
paid  for  it  with  a leg.  About  the  same  time 
Colonel  Janeway,  the  young  commander  of 
the  First  Hew  Jersey  Cavalry,  was  instantly 
killed  while  leading  one  of  the  closing  coun- 
ter-charges of  the  day. 

•x  x * * * * ' * 

Jetersville  may  not  perhaps  be  recorded  as 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


133 


the  name  of  one  of  the  grand  battles  of  the 
war,  yet  Lee’s  and  Sheridan’s  soldiers  can 
never  forget  it.  It  will  be  remembered  as  a 
most  harassing  succession  of  cavalry  skir- 
mishes and  charges;  isolated  squadrons  bold- 
ly throwing  themselves  on  advancing  battle 
lines ; audacious,  brilliant  dashes  wherever 
the  rebels  made  their  appearance ; delaying 
and  deceiving  Lee ; scouring  the  country  on 
every  side  of  him;  halting  his  army  when 
each  moment  of  its  march  was  its  very  life; 
pushing  back  his  reconnoitering  parties,  pre- 
venting him  from  learning  what  force  of 
Union  infantry  had  arrived  to  oppose  him 
should  he  choose  to  attack,  yet  challenging 
battle  everywhere.  The  precious  blood  spilled 
at  Jetersville,  the  exploits  of  individual  valor 
and  heroism  of  which  no  man  can  ever  tell, 
entitle  the  name  of  Jetersville  to  a conspicu- 
ous record  in  the  military  history  of  the 
country. 

It  was  during  this  afternoon  that  a discon- 
solate rebel  colonel  thus  wrote  to  his  mother 
from  Amelia  Court  House : * “ Our  army  is 
ruined,  I fear.  We  are  all  safe  as  yet. 

We  are  in  line  of  battle  this  evening.  Gen- 
eral Robert  Lee  is  in  the  field  near  us.  My 
trust  is  still  in  the  justice  of  our  cause. 

. . . I send  this  by  a negro  I see  passing 


134 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


lip  the  railroad  to  Mechlenburg.”  The  note 
was  captured,  and  soon  after  General  Sheri- 
dan wrote  his  famous  despatch  to  General 
Grant : 

“ General  : — I send  you  the  enclosed 
letter,  which  will  give  you  an  idea  of  the  con- 
dition of  the  enemy  and  their  whereabouts. 
I sent  General  Davies’s  brigade  this  morning 
around  on  my  left  flank.  He  captured  at 
Paine’s  cross-roads  five  pieces  of  artillery, 
about  two  hundred  wagons,  and  eight  or  nine 
battle-flags,  and  a number  of  prisoners.  The 
Second  Army  corps  is  now  coming  up.  I 
wish  you  were  here  yourself.  I feel  confi- 
dent of  capturing  the  Army  of  Horthern 
Virginia  if  we  exert  ourselves.  I see  no 
escape  for  Lee.  I will  send  all  my  cavalry 
out  on  our  left  flank,  except  McKenzie,  who 
is  now  on  the  right. 

(Signed)  P.  H.  Sheridan, 
Major-General 


* Note.  Relating  to  the  operations  of  April  5tli 
the  following  despatches  are  of  special  interest : 

“ City  Point,  Va..  April  5, 1865,  (Received  11.55  p.m)  . 
Hon.  Secretary  of  State  : Yours  of  to-day  received. 
I think  there  is  no  probability  of  my  remaining  here 
more  than  two  days  longer.  If  that  is  too  long  come 
down.  I passed  last  night  at  Richmond  and  have 
just  returned.  A.  Lincoln.  ” 

“ Headquarters.  Armies  of  the  United  States, 
Nottoway  Court-House,  Va.,  April  5,  1865.  Hon.  E. 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


135 


M.  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War : Last  night  General 
Sheridan  was  on  the  Danville  road  south  of  Amelia 
Court-House,  and  sent  word  to  General  Meade,  who 
was  following  with  the  Second  and  Sixth  Corps  by 
what  is  known  as  the  River  road,  that  if  the  troops 
could  be  got  up  in  time  he  had  hopes  of  capturing 
or  dispersing  the  whole  of  Lee's  army.  I am  moving 
with  the  left  wing,  commanded  by  General  Ord.  by 
the  Cox  or  direct  Burkeville  road.  We  will  be  to- 
night in  or  near  Burkeville.  I have  had  no  com- 
munication with  Sheridan  or  Meade  to-day  but  hope 
to  hear  very  soon  that  they  have  come  up  with  and 
captured  or  broken  up  the  balance  of  the  army  of 
Northern  Virginia.  In  every  direction  we  hear  of 
the  men  of  that  army  going  home,  generally  without 
arms.  U.  S.  Grant,  Lieutenant-General.” 

“ Nottoway  Court-House,  April  5, 1865.  Hon.  E.  M. 
Stanton,  Washington  : The  following  despatch  is 
just  received  from  General  Sheridan.  General 
Meade  was  following  the  same  road  pursued  by 
Sheridan,  and  Lieutenant  Dunn,  of  my  staff,  who 
brought  the  despatch,  met  the  Second  Corps  within 
five  miles  of  Amelia.  General  Ord  will  push  for- 
ward by  Burkeville,  and  endeavor  to  intercept  the 
outlet  south.” 

‘ Cavalry  Headquarters,  Jetersville,  April  5,  1865. 
Lieutenant-General  Grant.  General : The  whole 
of  Lee’s  army  is  at  or  near  Amelia  Court-House, 
and  on  this  side  of  it.  General  Davies,  whom  I sent 
out  to  Plainville  on  their  right  flank,  has  just  cap- 
tured six  pieces  of  artillery  and  some  wagons.  We 
can  capture  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  if 
force  enough  can  be  thrown  to  this  point,  and  then 
advance  upon  it.  My  cavalry  was  at  Burkeville 
yesterday,  and  six  miles  beyond  on  the  Danville  road 
last  night.  Lee  is  at  Amelia  Court-House  in 
person.  They  are  out,  or  nearly  out,  of  rations. 
They  were  advancing  up  the  railroad  toward 
Burkeville  yesterday  when  we  intercepted  them 
at  this  point.  P.  H.  Sheridan.  Major-General.’ 

U.  S.  Grant,  Lieutenant-General.” 

“ Jetersville,  April  5.  1865.10.10  p.m.  Major-Gen- 
eral Ord.  Burkeville,  Va.  : In  the  absence  of  further 
orders  move  west  at  8 a.  m.  to-moipow  and  take 


136 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


position  to  watch  the  roads  running  south  between 
Burkeville  and  Farmville.  I am  strongly  of  the 
opinion  Lee  will  leave  Amelia  to-night  to  go  south. 
He  will  be  pursued  at  6 a.  m.  from  here  if  lie  leaves. 
Otherwise  an  advance  will  be  made  upon  him  where 
he  is.  U.  S.  Grant,  Lieutenant-General.” 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


137 


CHAPTER  VII. 


Thursday,  April  6th. — Results  of  the  previous  day.— Delay  in 
changing  the  routes  of  march. — Diverse  opinions.— Sheridan 
reliant  and  active. — Orders  his  troops  to  attack  wherever 
seeing  the  enemy.— Latter  thus  detained  at  Deatonsville. — 
Severing  Lee’s  columns. — Many  vain  attempts. — Battle  of 
Sailor’s  Creek. — The  Sixth  Corps  close  in.— The  consequent 
collapse  of  Ewell’s  corps. — The  captures  and  captives. — A 
young  aide  [Capt.  Cyrus  S.  Roberts,  now  Brig.-Genl.  regular 
army  retired]  takes  unaided  fifty  prisoners. — The  great  cav- 
alry charges.— Their  failures  and  successes.— Mule  cavalry. 
—The  final  crash. — Incidents. — The  end  of  the  daylight. — 
Sheridan’s  despatch  to  Grant  at  night : “ If  the  thing  is 
pressed  I think  Lee  will  surrender.” — Grant  replies  “Press 
things.” — Some  despatches. 


The  result  of  the  day’s  operations  on 
April  5th,  and  the  observations  during  the 
night,  indicated  that  Lee  was  moving  his 
army  from  Amelia  Court  House  toward 
Lynchburg.  Early  on  the  morning  of  the  6th, 
however,  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  which 
was  now  at  Jetersville,  advanced  north 
toward  the  Court  House,  with  orders  from 
General  Meade  to  attack  the  enemy  vigor- 
ously. General  Meade  had  not  thus  far  en- 
joyed any  opportunity  for  participating  in 
the  active  battles  of  the  pursuit;  and  it  is 
quite  likely  that,  had  he  not  been  obliged  by 


138 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


ill  health  to  remain  quiet  in  an  ambulance 
during  the  march  of  the  5th  inst.,  more  ac- 
curate information  would  have  caused  an 
earlier  modification  of  this  order  for  the  6th 
inst. 

[In  his  Memoirs,  Sheridan  says  that  Gen- 
eral Grant,  who  on  the  5th  was  accompany- 
ing General  Ord’s  column  towards  Burkes- 
ville  Junction,  did  not  receive  the  foregoing 
despatch  (quoted  at  the  close  of  Chapter  VI.) 
until  nearly  nightfall,  when  within  about  ten 
miles  of  the  Junction.  General  Grant  then, 
as  Sheridan  narrates,  “ set  out  for  Jetersville 
immediately,  but  did  not  reach  us  till  near 
midnight,  too  late,  of  course,  to  do  anything 
that  night.  Taking  me  with  him,  we  went 
over  to  see  Meade,  whom  he  then  directed  to 
advance  early  in  the  morning  on  Amelia 
Court  House.  In  this  interview  Grant  also 
stated  that  the  orders  Meade  had  already  is- 
sued would  permit  Lee’s  escape,  and  therefore 
must  he  changed,  for  it  was  not  the  aim  only 
to  follow  the  enemy,  but  to  get  ahead  of  him, 
remarking  during  the  conversation  that  he 
‘ had  no  doubt  Lee  was  moving  right  then.’ 
On  the  same  occasion  Meade  expressed  a de- 
sire to  have  in  the  proposed  attack  all  the 
troops  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  under  his 
own  command,  and  asked  for  the  return  of 


SHERIDAN 'S  CA  VALR  Y. 


139 


the  Fifth  corps.  I made  no  objections,  and 
it  was  ordered  to  report  to  him.  When  on 
the  morning  of  the  sixth  Meade  advanced  to- 
ward Amelia  Court  House  he  found,  as  pre- 
dicted, that  Lee  was  gone.  It  turned  out  that 
the  retreat  began  the  evening  of  the  5th  and 
continued  all  night.  Satisfied  that  this  would 
be  the  case  I did  not  permit  the  cavalry  to  par- 
ticipate in  Meade’s  useless  advance  but  shifted 
it  out  toAvard  the  left,  to  the  road  running 
from  Deatonsville  to  Rice’s  station,  Crook 
leading  and  Merritt  close  up.”] 

At  daylight  the  cavalry  Avas  soon  marched 
aAvay  from  Jetersville,  taking  the  roads  di- 
rectly south  towards  Burke’s  station  until  a 
way  was  reached  by  which  Sheridan  might 
be  able  to  throAV  his  column  upon  the  roads 
used  by  Lee  on  his  march  toAvards  Lynchburg, 
making  a little  detour  to  the  south  to  avoid 
interfering  Avith  the  movements  of  the  infan- 
try marched  toAvards  Deatonsville,  a cross- 
roads and  small  village  on  the  enemy’s  line  of 
march,  Crook’s  division  leading  off.  Mer- 
ritt’s corps  (Devin’s  and  Custer’s  divisions) 
Avere  also  brought  around  from  the  right  of 
the  infantry,  according  to  the  programme 
indicated  in  Sheridan’s  despatch  of  the  day 
before,  and  following  Crook  for  a short  dis- 
tance soon  diverged  on  his  right  and  sought 


140 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


at  once  to  strike  Lee’s  line  of  march.  Al- 
though most  officers  of  the  cavalry  corps  be- 
lieved that  the  main  body  of  the  rebel  army 
had  by  this  time  left  Amelia  Court  House, 
still  if  this  was  not  the  ease,  while  Meade’s 
army  should  fight  them  there,  Sheridan 
would  completely  intercept  their  further  re- 
treat, thus  perhaps  winding  up  the  cam- 
paign. Lee,  however,  seemed  to  have  par- 
tially anticipated  those  movements,  and 
therefore  had  hurried  his  army  as  fast  as  pos- 
sible out  of  this  new  snare  which  further  de- 
lay might  have  brought  upon  him.  Humph- 
reys, with  the  combined  Second  and  Third 
corps,  soon  reported  to  General  Meade  that 
the  enemy  was  moving  away  from  his  front 
towards  the  left.  Wheeling  his  army  as 
soon  as  possible  in  that  direction,  General 
Meade  found  his  troops  of  the  Second  corps 
in  contact  with,  and  closely  pursuing  the 
rear-guard  of  Lee’s  army.  This  move- 
ment towards  Amelia  Court  Llouse  was 
therefore  the  occasion  of  considerable  delay 
in  further  intercepting  the  retreat,  causing  a 
detour  of  several  miles  in  the  march  of  some 
of  the  corps  before  they  actually  reached  the 
enemy. 

Sheridan,  meanwhile,  had  neither  waited 
nor  halted.  The  enemy’s  wagon  train  and 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


141 


troops  were  soon  espied  moving  as  antici- 
pated. The  Army  of  the  Potomac  had  no 
occasion  to  fight  at  Amelia  Court-House,  and 
the  policy  now  was  to  strike  the  rebels  any- 
where while  on  the  march,  destroy  more  of  his 
trains,  delay  and  harass  him  until  he  at  last 
could  be  completely  intercepted.  There  was 
therefore  no  reconnoitering  but  an  immediate 
attack  wherever  our  troops  could  see  the 
enemy.  Merritt’s  troops  (Custer’s  and  De- 
vin’s divisions)  struck  the  rebel  columns  at 
Deatonsville,  and  Crook  a little  further  to 
west  on  the  Farmville  and  Lynchburg  road. 

Custer  and  Devin  found  themselves  in 
open  country,  and  their  charges  into  the 
enemy’s  train  resulted  in  considerable  de- 
struction. They  also  succeeded  in  holding 
the  enemy  at  Deatonsville  until  the  appear- 
ance of  our  infantry ; when  Sheridan 
marched  Merritt  around  to  the  left  and  rear 
to  strike  the  enemy  again  on  Crook’s  left. 
Crook  meanwhile  found  himself  seriously  en- 
gaged with  a large  force  of  infantry.  The 
country  along  the  lane  by  which  he  advanced 
on  the  enemy  was  densely  wooded.  There 
was  but  little  opportunity  to  fight  except  dis- 
mounted, and  while  our  troopers  pulled  aside 
the  branches  as  they  struggled  through  the 
woods  to  form  their  lines  of  battle,  a well- 


142 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


developed  force  of  infantry  met  them  with  a 
destructive  fire.  With  Smith’s  brigade  on 
the  right  and  Gregg’s  on  the  left  our  men 
stood  their  ground  firmly,  but  when  it  was 
evident  that  they  had  encountered  the  main 
body  of  one  of  Lee’s  infantry  corps,  they  were 
quietly  withdrawn,  and  ordered  to  proceed 
again  towards  the  left  of  Merritt.  Crook  was 
now  in  his  turn  to  march  around  Merritt’s 
rear,  and  to  strike  the  enemy  again  on  Mer- 
ritt’s left.  Thus  would  Lee’s  flank  he  con- 
stantly assailed ; and  unless  he  halted  his  en- 
tire army  the  chances  were  most  favorable 
that  Sheridan  would  by  these  successive  at- 
tacks in  flank  encounter  some  weak  point  and 
sever  Lee’s  columns  while  on  the  march.  It 
was  in  this  attempt,  at  last  so  gloriously  suc- 
cessful, that  was  fought  the  famous  battle  of 
Sailor’s  Creek. 

Most  justly  has  it  been  the  theme  of  flam- 
ing official  bulletins  from  the  generals  whose 
forces  were  there  engaged.  These,  however, 
convey  to  the  popular  mind  only  very  in- 
definite ideas ; they  tell  of  an  attack  with  Gen- 
eral So-and-So  on  the  right,  and  such  a corps 
on  the  left ; of  a grand  success,  with  the  cap- 
ture of  so  many  prisoners,  guns,  small  arms 
and  colors;  of  the  good  behavior  of  all  officers 
and  soldiers,  and  end  with  calling  attention 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


143 


to  the  conduct  of  some  particular  officers  wlio 
may  have  come  under  more  immediate  ob- 
servation of  their  chiefs  than  some  of  their 
less  fortunate,  hut  equally  deserving,  com- 
peers. But  it  is  for  the  artist  who  has  wit- 
nessed these  battle  scenes,  when  he  paints 
them  on  the  life-like  canvas,  or  the  master 
mind  who  can  group  together  all  the  facts  of 
the  contest,  making  a series  of  pen  pictures 
of  deeds  of  unemblazoned  heroism,  depicting 
in  all  their  stern  grandeur  the  fearful  strife 
of  war,  telling  with  truthfulness  and  touch- 
ing simplicity  of  those 

“ Ten  thousand  glorious  actions  that  might  claim 
Triumphant  honors  or  immortal  fame.” 

to  give  to  history  the  story  of  a battle.  Leav- 
ing then  this  task  in  such  hands  I am  only 
now  speaking  of  that  which  I saw,  et  quorum 
pars  fui. 

In  the  course  of  the  overlapping  successive 
attacks  by  the  divisions  under  Devin,  Custer, 
and  Crook,  by  which  Sheridan  essayed  to 
strike  a weak  point  of  the  enemy,  Custer  soon 
after  noon  found  himself  near  the  road  on 
which  the  enemy’s  trains  and  columns  were 
moving,  and  quite  in  advance  of  the  main 
body  of  Ewell’s  corps,  which  was  apparently 
Lee’s  rear-guard. 


144 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


To  protect  their  road,  therefore,  the  rebels 
must  halt  and  fight.  General  Ord’s  column 
about  the  same  time  advancing  from  Burkes- 
ville,  struck  Lee  still  further  to  the  west,  and 
compelled  him  to  halt  there,  while  the  Sixth 
and  combined  Second-Third  corps  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  so  closely  pressed  the 
entire  rear  of  Lee’s  army  as  to  employ  in 
their  front  a very  considerable  force.  Thus 
was  Lee’s  army,  now  wearied,  hai’assed, 
hungry,  and  defeated,  and  with  all  its  im- 
pedimenta stretched  for  miles  along  the 
country,  beset  with  a hopeful,  enthusiastic, 
vigorous,  and  pursuing  foe  on  its  entire 
flank;  every  wagon  threatened  with  cap- 
ture or  destruction ; every  regiment  watch- 
ing for  battle  or  escape.  Sheridan  himself 
was  at  this  time  on  the  south  of  Sailor’s  Creek 
assailing  the  strong  rear-guard  of  the  enemy 
with  one  cavalry  brigade  under  Colonel  Stagg, 
who  was  fighting  rebel  infantry  of  ten  times 
his  strength,  charging  desperately  their 
breastworks,  and  displaying  every  man  many 
times  in  different  places.  By  these  admirable 
demonstrations  he  occupied  the  enemy  until 
the  Sixth  corps  arrived,  when  the  attack  be- 
came more  extended  and  successful ; at  the 
same  time  Humphreys,  with  the  combined 
Second-Third  corps,  met  the  enemy,  and  ad- 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


145 


vanced  on  the  right  of  the  Sixth  corps. 
Meanwhile  Custer  with  his  tAvo  remaining 
brigades  had  essayed  to  reach  the  main 
trains  passing  by  his  front,  and  charged  the 
long,  thin  line  of  infantry  protecting  them 
in  ATain  attempts  to  pierce  it  and  cut  off 
all  the  troops  noAV  opposing  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  infantry.  The  rebels  seemed 
to  have  been  hurriedly  posted  in  a line, 
taking  but  little  of  the  natural  advantage 
Avhich  the  locality  afforded,  and  protected 
by  hastily  constructed  breastAvorks  of  earth 
and  rails.  A couple  of  pieces  of  artillery 
were  rolled  into  position,  and  the  enemy 
quietly  aAvaited  the  result  of  Custer’s  cav- 
alry maneuATers  on  the  open  plain  in  their 
front.  Their  ammunition  was  precious  and 
AA’as  not  wasted. 

Dismounting  a few  of  his  men  to  engage 
the  enemy  in  the  AA7ooded  portions  of  the  field, 
Custer  formed  the  remainder  to  charge  again 
the  rebel  line  in  his  front.  The  country  was 
open  and  undulating,  with  fine  positions  for 
artillery,  quite  favorable  for  cavalry  opera- 
tions, and  altogether  what  a veteran  would 
call  a splendid  battle-field.  Custer’s  two 
light  Parrott  guns  relieATed  him  of  any  annoy- 
ance from  the  Rebel  artillery;  but  the  char- 
acter of  the  country  also  gaA-e  either  party 
io 


146 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


the  advantage  of  observing  the  other’s  ma- 
neuvers. 

About  this  time  General  Crook’s  column 
appeared  on  the  hills,  and  filing  off  into  dense 
woods  seemed  marching  past  the  field  of  bat- 
tle further  towards  the  enemy’s  advance.  But 
this  was  only  a ruse.  Concealed  in  the  woods 
and  guided  partially  by  a “ reliable  contra- 
band,” the  course  of  the  column  was  at  once 
changed,  and  just  as  Custer  Avas  prepared  for 
his  second  charge,  Crook  emerged  into  the 
field  on  his  immediate  left  and  directly  in 
front  of  the  enemy.  AAvay  now  to  the  charge 
dashed  Custer’s  troopers ; squadrons  of  “ red 
cravats  ” bore  doAvn  upon  the  ensconced  foe. 
But  victory  Avas  not  thus  easy.  Waiting  un- 
til the  horsemen  Avere  almost  near  enough  to 
leap  over  the  slight  breastworks,  the  quiet 
line  of  dingy  grays  suddenly  sprang  into  life, 
planted  their  rebel  flags  almost  Avithin  the 
reach  of  the  bold  troopers,  and  with  their 
peculiar  faint  cheer  delivered  into  our  ranks 
a most  destructwe  Arolley.  Saddles  Avere 
emptied ; horses  plunged  in  the  struggles  of 
death,  and  amid  din  and  dust,  conflict  and 
confusion,  vim  and  \ralor,  the  charge  Avas 
over.  The  rebels  remained  in  their  old  lines, 
and  Avhen  the  smoke  and  dust  cleared  from 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY.  147 

the  field  Custer  was  reforming  his  lines  and 
preparing  to  renew  the  strife. 

Crook  had  already  become  engaged,  and 
indeed  had  joined  with  two  regiments  from 
Davies’s  brigade  in  this  dashing  but  unsuc- 
cessful charge  of  Custer.  Crook  now  dis- 
mounted Gregg’s  brigade  of  his  division,  and 
sent  them  through  a thick  wood  on  the  left 
to  strike  again  the  enemy’s  road.  Gregg’s 
was  comparatively  speaking  a large  brigade 
(though  of  not  more  than  from  1,200  to 
1,500  men  effective),  but  composed  entirely 
of  Pennsylvania  troops.  They  were  reliable 
veterans ; most  of  them  armed  with  repeating 
carbines.  Soon  was  heard  old-fashioned  vol- 
leys of  infantry  musketry,  mingling  with  the 
sharp  rings  of  the  carbines.  The  strife  now 
was  in  thick  woods  and  at  the  very  side  of  the 
coveted  road ; and  the  rebels  found  but  a poor 
shelter  in  its  adjoining  rail  fence.  iSTotliing, 
however,  could  be  seen,  and  as  you  listened  to 
the  mingling  crash  and  din  of  small  arms,  it 
seemed  that  the  dismounted  troopers  could 
scarce  compete  with  such  formidable  infantry. 
But  our  men  had  started  for  the  wagon  train, 
and  now  seeing  it  were  determined  upon  its 
capture.  Soon,  therefore,  an  aide-de-camp 
dashed  back  to  General  Crook  with  “ General 
Gregg’s  compliments,  sir,  and  his  men  are 


148 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


burning  the  enemy’s  wagon  train.”  “ Tell 
him  to  push  on,  destroy  all  he  can,  and  charge 
those  rebels  in  flank  and  rear,”  briefly  replied 
this  quiet,  thorough  soldier,  as  he  pointed  to 
the  colors  along  the  rebel  line  which  had  just 
repulsed  the  charge  of  Custer.  Gregg’s 
mounted  regiment  in  reserve  (Twenty-first 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry)  eagerly  rode  out  to 
obey  the  order. 

The  afternoon  was  now  well-nigh  spent. 
Sheridan  on  the  south  of  Sailor’s  Creek  had 
been  heard  from  that  he  was  driving  the  en- 
emy before  him.  The  guns  of  the  Sixth 
corps  had  been  booming  louder  and  louder 
for  the  past  hour  or  two,  and  now  they  ap- 
proached. Nearer  and  nearer  they  drew, 
until  there  was  not  the  slightest  doubt  of  our 
complete  success  in  that  quarter  of  the  field. 
The  enemy  was  being  pushed  directly  into  the 
lines  of  the  cavalry ; and  he  must  not  be  al- 
lowed to  escape.  Every  cavalry  soldier  heard 
these  guns,  knew  whence  they  came,  saw  the 
Rebels  in  front  of  him,  and  could  not  fail  to 
appreciate  our  advantages.  Our  men  there- 
fore sat  in  their  saddles  with  the  most  com- 
plete reliance  and  confidence,  awaiting  their 
generals’  commands. 

Crook’s  lines  were  formed  on  the  left  of 
Custer,  with  Davies’s  brigade  for  Crook’s 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


149 


right,  mounted,  and  Gregg’ son  the  left  mostly 
dismounted,  and  among  the  enemy’s  burning 
train.  There  was  no  opportunity  this  time 
to  ransack  or  pillage  the  burning  wagons,  and 
their  contents  were  scarcely  noted.  Smith’s 
brigade  remained  in  reserve.  Custer  had 
only  two  brigades,  under  Wells  and  Penning- 
ton, Colonel  Stagg  being  retained  by  Sheridan 
to  demonstrate  in  the  enemy’s  rear,  as  already 
mentioned.  McKenzie’s  troops  were  also  in 
the  same  quarter  of  the  field.  Devin’s  di- 
vision, however,  remained  for  a while  as  a 
reserve  under  Merritt  both  for  Crook  and 
Custer;  hut  when  it  was  seen  he  would  be 
needed  by  neither,  he  was  sent  still  further 
around  to  the  left  that  he  might  again  there 
engage  the  enemy,  or  intercept  his  fugitives. 

These  dispositions  being  completed,  it  was 
nearly  sunset.  The  afternoon  had  been 
bright  and  clear,  and  while  the  cavalry  were 
not  able  to  see  the  infantry,  yet  the  latter 
could  see  much  of  the  maneuvers  of  the 
cavalry  on  the  high  ground  over  which  part 
of  the  operations  were  conducted.  The 
charges  of  Custer,  although  so  far  unsuccess- 
ful, were  not  without  good  results.  They  re- 
tained the  serious  attention  of  the  enemy  in 
his  front,  while  proving  to  Wright  and  Sher- 
idan that  the  cavalry  had  again  found  the  en- 


150 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


emy.  In  this  connection  it  is  curious  to  note 
that  in  the  official  report  of  Sheridan  he  men- 
tions the  fact  of  a soldier  (William  A.  Rich- 
ardson, of  the  Second  Ohio)  having  pierced 
the  rebel  lines  in  the  first  charge,  miraculously 
escaped  capture,  penetrated  them  to  the  other 
side,  and  there  informed  his  general  of  the 
true  condition  of  affairs  beyond  him. 

The  sun  was  sinking  in  the  west;  scarce 
an  hour  of  daylight  yet  remained.  There 
had  been  skirmishing  and  fighting,  and  a 
close  pursuit  all  day.  But  while  it  was  a 
success,  aside  from  the  ordinary  destroyed 
baggage,  stragglers  and  other  debris  of  a de- 
feated and  retreating  army,  nothing  special 
had  been  gained.  The  present  opportunities 
must  be  grasped,  or  night  would  seize  them, 
and  the  morrow  would  then  be  but  a repeti- 
tion of  to-day.  The  enemy  in  front  of  us 
must  be  completely  broken ; he  must  be  de- 
stroyed or  captured ; and  as  the  guns  of  the 
Sixth  corps  were  now  almost  within  range  of 
those  of  the  cavalry,  it  seemed  a natural  in- 
stinct to  anticipate  the  orders  for  another 
charge.  Aides-de-camp  flew  along  the  cavalry 
front,  and  quickly  indicated  to  the  different 
commanders  the  direction  of  their  advance. 
Brigade  officers  dashed  through  their  regi- 
ments, regiments  gathered  up  their  squad- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


151 


rons ; and  soon  curving  up  and  down  the  un- 
dulations of  the  open  fields,  hidden  here  and 
there  by  pretty  little  clumps  of  evergreen, 
the  lines  of  Union  troopers  slowly  and  quietly 
advanced  once  more  on  the  rebel  line.  Custer 
with  his  gay  red  and  white  headquarters  pen- 
nant, and  surrounded  by  a small  staff,  and 
orderlies  hearing  captured  rebel  colors,  was 
on  the  right  directing  the  movements  of  his 
two  brigades  under  Wells  and  Pennington ; 
and  Crook  on  the  left  with  a few  orderlies, 
and  his  color-bearer  carrying  the  plain  blue 
flag  of  his  division,  moved  among  his  troops 
under  Smith  and  Davies.  To  Gregg  was  as- 
signed the  work  of  still  pressing,  dismounted, 
his  advantages  already  gained.  Thus  four 
mounted  brigades  of  cavalry,  Avithin  sight  of 
each  other  as  well  as  the  common  foe,  reg- 
ularly and  quietly  walked  towards  him.  It 
was  grand  and  imposing ; it  was  morally  sub- 
lime; and  I doubt  not  as  each  man  grasped 
more  tightly  his  saber,  his  arm  was  nerved 
Avith  the  righteousness  of  the  cause  and  a 
consciousness  of  duty;  while  many  a strong 
heart  beat  within  those  soldiers’  bosoms  as 
thoughts  of  mother,  sister,  sweetheart,  Avife, 
quickly  rose  and  whispered  of  the  prayers 
from  the  firesides  at  home.  Yea,  and  avIio 
shall  say  that  there  were  not  in  those  brief 


152 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


moments  silent  offerings  to  Him  who  giveth 
life  and  taketh  it  again  away. 

The  spring  flowers  smiling  covishly  through 
the  grass  were  literally  trodden  under  the 
iron  hoof  of  war ; they  carpeted  the  fields  for 
Sheridan’s  squadrons,  but  withal  were  passed 
unheeded.  So  began  the  charge.  Ho  won- 
der that  when  the  hostile  lines  approached, 
the  very  ( sight  shook  the  rebel  center.  One, 
two,  then  three,  then  little  groups  of  men  in 
gray  were  seen  hurrying  back  from  the  light 
breastworks.  This  was  enough.  It  was  easy 
to  see  that  now  was  the  time.  A bugle 
sounded,  and  as  bugle  after  bugle  echoed 
“ the  charge  ” along  that  line  of  cavalry, 
there  was  one  grand  jump  to  conflict.  All 
was  dust  and  confusion ; horses  and  men  fell 
dead  across  the  rebel  works.  Every  firearm 
might  have  been  discharged,  but  on  one  side 
all  was  desperation,  horror,  and  dismay, 
while  on  the  other,  confidence,  enthusiasm, 
and  victory.  The  rebel  line  was  gone,  and 
squads,  companies,  and  regiments  were  flying 
over  the  hills.  Horsemen  were  among  them, 
and  turned  them  back  with  empty  arms  as 
prisoners.  Others  more  quickly  sought  for 
safety,  by  waving  the  white  flag  of  surrender. 
Troopers  in  blue  rode  fearlessly  and  care- 
lessly among  a motley  mob  in  gray,  and  re- 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


153 


ceived  their  unceremonious  surrender.  All 
was  excitement  and  irregularity;  scarce  an 
organized  squadron  could  be  seen.  Mean- 
while  the  guns  of  Wright’s  corps  sent  their 
missiles  of  destruction  among  both  parties, 
and  a heavy  skirmish  line  appeared  over  the 
brow  of  the  hill,  intercepting  the  flying  foe. 
A group  of  fugitive  horsemen  ahead  of  us 
suddenly  halted,  and  then  turned  in  another 
direction ; then  they  hesitated  again.  Infan- 
try on  one  side  of  them,  cavalry  on  the  other ! 
Might  they  not  pass  between  them  ? But  it 
was  too  late.  Their  surrender  was  demanded, 
and  Lieutenant-General  Ewell,  in  command 
of  Lee’s  most  reliable  corps,  now  the  rear- 
guard of  his  army,  with  his  staff  became 
prisoners  of  war.  Their  captors  turned  them 
toward  our  lines,  and  soon  this  plain  group  in 
dingy  gray,  some  of  whose  horses  bore  two 
riders,  all  poorly  mounted  and  caparisoned, 
the  leaders  of  a fallen  foe,  defeated,  captured, 
with  a disappointed,  sad,  and  sullen  sensa- 
tion which  a prisoner  only  can  appreciate, 
were  marched  to  the  Union  rear. 

They  had  not  all  escaped  the  vandalism  of 
the  battle-field.  Some  of  the  party  had  been 
obliged  to  surrender  their  valuables  to  some 
unauthorized  and  venturesome  “ Yankee,” 
and  the  vehemence  of  the  contest,  not  yet 


154 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


entirely  over,  led  the  captives  to  make  re- 
peated solicitations  of  those  they  met  with 
for  safe  and  honorable  treatment.  Seeine;  a 
Union  officer  at  his  side,  one  of  the  staff  re- 
marked : “ This  officer  is  a gentleman,  sir ; 
I know  he  is.  I appeal  to  you,  sir,  for  pro- 
tection. My  watch  has  been  stolen.”  “ That 
is  to  be  regretted,  sir;  if  it  can  be  found,  it 
shall  be  restored  and  the  thief  punished.” 
Eider  number  two  on  some  of  the  horses, 
being  rather  inconveniently  seated  between 
the  saddle  and  the  animal’s  tail,  occasionally 
ventured  an  expression  indicative  of  the  un- 
pleasant means  of  that  species  of  locomotion  ; 
but  with  these  exceptions,  the  party  had  little 
to  say  until  General  Custer  and  staff  were 
encountered.  Ewell  expressed  his  satisfac- 
tion at  having  fallen  into  such  hands,  and 
begged  that  General  Custer  would  cease 
hostilities  there  at  once,  that  all  Ewell’s  men 
would  immediately  surrender,  especially  if 
he  could  send  an  officer  among  them  and  so 
order  them,  for  which  he  requested  permis- 
sion. Pointing  to  a part  of  the  field  where 
there  was  evidently  a considerable  force  of 
the  enemy  yet  assembled,  with  no  means  of 
escape,  General  Ewell  entreated  that  they 
should  be  fought  with  no  longer.  They  were 
his  men,  and  he  felt  confident  they  would 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


155 


surrender.  While  it  was  hardly  likely  that 
this  request  was  a ruse  to  gain  time  for  other 
maneuvers,  this  was  possible,  and  Custer, 
being  a subordinate,  was  unauthorized  to 
stop  the  fight.  The  matter  was  soon  put  at 
rest,  however,  by  Wright’s  infantry  closing 
in  upon  all  the  men  in  question,  and  receiving 
their  complete  surrender. 

The  sun  had  by  this  time  gone  down ; its 
lingering,  sweeping  rays  had  not  seen  the  final 
conflict.  The  fields  which  all  the  afternoon 
had  listened  to  the  patter  of  small  arms,  and 
the  sharp  ring  of  rifled  cannon,  were  now 
strewn  with  the  thousand  fresh  evidences  of 
a recent  battle ; while  the  booming  of  distant 
guns  from  other  parts  of  the  army  tolled  the 
knell  of  the  fallen,  and  fitly  harmonized  with 
the  dusky  gloom  of  evening  as  it  spread  its 
foggy  mantle  over  the  scene.  Here  were  the 
fields  where  all  the  afternoon  Union  squadrons 
formed  and  reformed  for  the  charge ; on  these 
were  now  being  gathered  thousands  and  thou- 
sands of  rebel  prisoners ; a little  further  off 
were  light  breastworks  broken  down  here  and 
there  to  show  where  squadrons  entered  ; along 
these  were  scattered  bleeding  horses,  wrecked 
artillery,  ghastly  human  corses ; further  on 
smoking  ruins  of  burning  baggage  wagons — 
while  for  acres  the  grounds  were  strewn  with 


156 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


side-arms,  muskets,  and  otter  tokens  of  de- 
feat. There  were  hurrying  stragglers,  too,  of 
either  army.  Union  soldiers  lost  in  the 
charge  and  rebels  seeking  present  safety. 
But  Crook  was  still  pursuing;  over  hill  and 
dale  his  squadrons  pressed  and  fought  the 
flying  enemy,  while  Custer  gathered  up  his 
little  band,  and  darkness  only  ended  that 
day’s  victory. 

dSTot  the  least  interesting  feature  of  this 
battle  was  the  completeness  of  the  collapse  of 
the  rebel  corps  which  fought  it.  From  com- 
manding general  to  the  private  soldier  the 
sensation  appeared  to  be  the  same.  “ We 
are  lost  and  must  make  the  best  of  it  with  our 
enemies.”  Dozens  of  men  would  surrender 
to  a single  “ Yankee.”  When  once  the 
Union  arms  seemed  entirely  successful  among 
the  scattered  rebels,  the  hope  of  escaping  the 
present  danger  of  battle  and  of  partaking  of 
rations  with  the  victors,  rose  paramount  to 
that  of  military  duty  and  honor.  There 
could  now  be  no  esprit  de  corps,  for  the  corps 
itself  was  no  more.  It  was  the  same  old 
organization — although  altered  by  the  inces- 
sant changes  of  active  campaigns — with  which 
Jackson  earlier  in  the  war  swept  through  the 
valleys  of  Virginia,  or  hurled  in  heavy 
masses  against  the  sturdy,  veteran  Army  of 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


157 


the  Potomac.  Its  history  is  one  of  valor, 
hardship , suffering,  victory,  tenacity,  and 
final  defeat.  Its  military  discipline  was 
most  vigorous  and  exemplary,  its  confidence 
and  self-reliance  a pride  and  boast  among  its 
members,  its  bravery  never  questioned,  its 
fortitude,  endurance,  and  heroism  worthy  of 
the  nation  to  which  its  men  belonged,  and 
against  whose  justice,  beneficence  and  right- 
eous power  they  most  wickedly  rebelled. 

Illustrating  the  spirit  prevailing  at  the 
close  of  this  battle,  and  as  one  of  many  simi- 
lar incidents  doubtless  never  to  be  recorded, 
is  the  experience  of  an  officer  of  General 
Crook’s  staff,  Captain  Cyrus  S.  Roberts, 
[now  Brigadier  General  U.  S.  Army  retired] 
who  had  joined  in  the  grand  final  charge 
when  his  usually  quiet  general  at  the  last 
moment  enthusiastically  ordered  every  one 
about  him,  officer  or  orderly,  to  join  in  the 
charge  wherever  he  pleased.  “ Put  every- 
thing in  ; now  everybody  go  in,”  is  an  inspir- 
ing command  seldom  heard  from  the  profes- 
sional soldier,  but  always  effective,  never 
misunderstood.  Joining  then,  the  nearest 
squadron,  this  subordinate  rode  among  the 
disordered  foe  who,  throwing  down  their 
arms,  hastened  for  safety  into  the  Union  lines. 
Never  stopping,  however,  each  trooper  rode 


158 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


hurriedly  on  to  overtake  and  capture  still  more 
of  the  rebel  fugitives.  Our  young  officer, 
not  a little  enthusiastic,  pushed  on,  supposing 
he  was  followed  by  others,  when  suddenly  as 
his  horse  was  jumping  a ditch  he  encountered 
the  fire  of  a well  formed  regiment  of  the 
enemy,  which  had  either  rallied  or  arrived 
from  a different  position  of  the  field  and  had 
taken  a favorable  position  to  embarrass  pur- 
suit. Fortunately,  just  then  the  captain’s 
horse  missed  his  footing  and  with  his  rider 
fell  into  the  ditch.  The  horse  regained  him- 
self, but  the  regiment  just  then  opening  a 
heavy  musketry  fire,  drove  him  back  with  all 
our  pursuing  soldiers.  The  young  aide,  how- 
ever, was  a veteran,  and  unharmed  lay  as  if 
dead  within  a few  feet  of  the  enemy’s  line, 
while  the  paper  and  dust  from  their  cartridges 
flew  over  and  about  him.  Soon  the  fire  ceased 
and  the  regiment  moved  away.  The  captain 
cautiously  looking  up  perceived  that  he  had 
ventured  too  far.  Our  men  had  all  retired 
from  that  locality  and  a large  group  of  rebels 
were  retreating  over  the  same  path  he  had 
ridden.  Quick  as  thought  the  little  fellow 
sprang  up  and  demanded  their  surrender, 
saying  that  they  might  as  well  surrender  now 
to  him  as  go  any  further,  our  cavalry  was  only 
bevond  the  hills  and  on  the  same  road  over 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


159 


which  they  were  marching,  but  surrender 
they  must.  So  alone  and  unaided  this  Yan- 
kee marched  twenty-five  or  thirty  soldiers  and 
their  officers  to  a place  of  comparative  safety. 
Raising  then  a white  hankerchief  from  a com- 
manding hill,  he  continued  gathering  the 
stragglers  of  the  enemy,  until  when  accident- 
ally found  by  his  staff  comrade  (the  writer) 
he  was  the  sole  custodian,  commander,  and 
guard  of  more  than  fifty  rebel  soldiers  with 
ten  or  a dozen  of  their  officers ; and  he 
marched  them  in  triumph  to  the  bivouac  of 
his  general.  So  rims  the  excitement,  the 
ever-varying  chances  of  war. 

ISTot  the  least  among  the  noticeable  features 
of  this  battle  is  the  amusing  behavior  of  mules 
under  fire.  In  some  of  the  brigades  there 
were  a large  number  of  the  soldiers  mounted 
on  these  interesting  animals  who  had  been 
picked  up  about  the  country  to  supply  the 
places  of  worn-out  horses.  Sometimes  half 
of  a regiment  would  be  so  mounted,  and  as 
they  stood  in  the  line  awaiting  the  charge 
there  was  little  in  the  demure  countenances 
of  these  long-eared  creatures  to  remind  one 
of  the  “ fiery  steed  ” or  the  “ mettled  char- 
ger ” which  the  license  of  the  pen  habituates 
to  the  battle-field.  When  a charge  is  sounded 
these  undisciplined  mules  do  not  jump  with 


160 


THE  LAST  HOUBS  OF 


sympathetic  inspiration  at  the  first  touch  of 
the  spur.  With  characteristic  obstinacy  they 
start  slowly,  and  their  speed  is  only  increased 
with  considerable  difficulty  and  attentive 
chastisement.  When  once  fairly  under  way, 
however,  and  dashing  headlong  forward  in 
their  jumping,  kicking,  native  style,  their 
riders  need  give  them  no  further  attention ; 
the  crowd  rushes  on,  and  each  individual 
mule  knows  no  master.  So  when  a number 
of  them  were  thus  directed  toward  the  en- 
emy’s line  one  of  two  things  was  inevitable : 
either,  regardless  of  any  obstacle,  they  would 
clear  the  slight  breastworks,  unless  shot,  and 
disappear  in  the  rebel  rear ; or  else,  stopping 
suddenly,  plant  themselves  in  its  front,  with 
pricked-up  ears,  head  most  reverently  low- 
ered, and  extended  legs,  assume  a firm, 
defiant,  and  immovable  attitude,  which  no 
other  beast  has  ever  attempted.  In  either 
of  these  cases  their  rider’s  chances  of  escape 
from  capture  or  death  are  very  indifferent, 
and  none  appreciate  this  fact  better  than  the 
veterans.  Therefore,  when  the  mules  had 
reached  that  pitch  of  obstinate  excitement 
which  knew  no  control,  there  was  something 
indescribably  laughable  in  the  unique  at- 
tempts of  their  riders  to  dismount  under  diffi- 
culties. While  some  risked  their  fate  by 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


161 

throwing  themselves  precipitately  from  the 
saddle,  the  animal  going  at  full  speed,  others, 
more  dexterous,  quickly  slipped  along  his 
back  and  down  via  his  tail  to  the  ground. 
When  then  one  charge  was  repulsed,  and  a 
large  number  of  these  mules  was  seen  return- 
ing with  empty  saddles,  it  was  believed  our 
loss  must  have  been  exceedingly  severe.  But 
shortly  afterwards,  covered  with  dust  and 
dirt,  and  to  the  serious  amusement  of  their 
comrades,  the  mule  troopers  straggled  back 
from  their  perilous  proximity  to  rebels. 
Mingled  with  the  laughter  of  their  more  for- 
tunate associates,  long,  loud,  deep,  and  not  a 
little  profane  wrere  their  wTild  execrations 
against  “ mule  cavalry.” 

Among  the  results  of  this  day’s  victory  were 
the  capture  of  six  rebel  generals — Ewell, 
Kershaw,  Barton,  Corse,  De  Barre,  and 
Custis  Lee — fourteen  guns,  many  caissons, 
wagons,  battle-flags,  and  several  thousand 
prisoners.  Of  the  latter  it  is  impossible  to 
learn  the  exact  number ; it  will  never  be 
known.  Commanding  officers  themselves 
never  received  reports  of  the  number  taken 
on  that  particular  day,  and  their  official  esti- 
mates are  only  approximate.  Certain  it  is, 
however,  that  several  thousand  were  assembled 
that  evening  in  the  cavalry  bivouac,  while 
1 1 


1G2 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


many  more,  of  course,  were  with  other  com- 
mands. In  this  interesting  campaign  the 
operations  of  one  day  followed  so  closely  and 
were  so  united  during  the  night  to  those  of 
the  next  that  it  is  difficult  to  say  exactly  what 
part  of  its  grand  movements  and  successes 
were  accomplished  in  any  one  particular  day. 
The  complete  results  appear  only  at  its  con- 
clusion. 

“ If  the  thing  is  pressed,  I think  Lee  will 
surrender,”  says  Sheridan  in  his  official  des- 
patch to  Grant  at  the  close  of  the  day.  Grant’s 
laconic  reply  was  “press  things.”  The  next  day 
Grant  wrote  first  to  Lee  on  the  subject.* 

* Note  ; Official  despatches  concerning:  the  marches 
and  battles  of  April  Sixth  include  the  following  : 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters,  Flat  Creek,  April  G,  18G5. 
Lieutenant-General  Grant,  Commanding  Armies 
of  the  United  States.  General:  The  enemy’s  trains 
are  moving  on  the  pike,  through  Deatonsville,  in  the 
direction  of  Burkeville  Station.  I am  just  getting 
ready  to  attack  it:  I have  notified  General  Ord.  t 
P.  H.  Sheridan.  Major-General  Commanding.’’ 

“ Jetersville,  April  6,1865 — 2.05  p.  m.  Major-Gen- 
eral Sheridan  : From  this  point  General  Humph- 
reys’ corps  could  be  seen  advancing  over  General 
Vaughn’s  farm.  The  enemy  occupied  that  place 
two  hours  ago  with  artillery  and  infantry.  Griffin 
is  farther  to  the  right  and  lias  been  urged  to  pusli 
on.  He  is,  no  doubt,  doing  so.  Wright  is  push- 
ing out  on  the  road  you  are  on  and  will  go  in  with  a 
vim  any  place  you  dictate.  Ord  has  sent  two  reg- 
iments out  to  Farmville  to  destroy  the  bridge,  and 
is  intrenching  the  balance  of  his  command  at  Burke’s 
Station.  If  your  information  makes  it  advisable  for 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY.  163 

him  to  move  out  notify  him  and  lie  will  do  so.  U.  S. 
Grant,  Lieutenant-General.” 

•‘Cavalry  Headquarters,  April  6,  1865,  Lieut.  Gen. 
U.  S.  Grant,  Commanding  Armies  of  the  United 
States.  General  : I have  the  honor  to  report  that 
the  enemy  made  a stand  at  the  intersection  of  the 
Burke’s  Station  road  with  the  road  upon  which  they 
were  retreating.  I attacked  them  with  two  divisions 
of  the  Sixth  Army  Corps  and  routed  them  hand- 
somely, making  a connection  with  the  cavalry.  I am 
still  pressing  on  with  both  cavalry  and  infantry.  Up 
to  the  present  time  we  have  captured  Generals  Ewell, 
Kershaw,  Barton,  Corse,  De  Foe  [Du  Bose],  and 
Custis  Lee,  several  thousand  prisoners,  14  pieces  of 
artillery,  with  caissons,  and  a large  number  of 
wagons.  If  the  thing  is  pressed  I think  Lee  icill 
surrender.  P.  H.  Sheridan,  Major-General  Com- 
manding.” 

“ Jetersville,  April  6,  I860,  Major-General  Ord  : 
The  enemy  evacuated  Amelia  last  night  or  this 
morning,  and  are  now  apparently  moving  southwest 
to  get  on  the  Farmville  and  Danville  road.  The 
Second  Corps  moved  from  here  towards  Deatonsville 
and  have  struck  the  flank  of  the  enemy.  The  Fifth 
and  Sixth  Corpsare  moving  parallel  with  the  Second, 
the  Fifth  to  the  right  of  it  and  the  Sixth  to  the  left. 
The  cavalry  is  still  farther  southwest.  You  will 
move  out  to  intercept  them,  if  possible,  taking  roads 
according  to  the  information  you  may  get,  recollect- 
ing that  the  capture  of  the  enemy  is  what  we  want. 
Mackenzie  started  to  join  you  with  the  cavalry  this 
morning.  Let  your  provost-marshal  or  some  one  as- 
certain if  there  is  any  movement  from  Danville  this 
way.  U.  S.  Grant,  Lieutenant-General.” 

“ Burkeville,  April  6, 1865.  Col.  T.  S.  Bowers,  City 
Point,  Va.  : The  enemy  left  his  position  at  Amelia 
Court-House  during  last  night,  and  attempted  to  get 
to  Danville  by  the  roads  west  of  this  place.  The 
cavalry,  Second,  Fifth  and  Sixth  Corps  lay  in  the 
vicinity  of  Jetersville  ready  to  attack  this  morning 
had  he  not  moved.  Their  position  was  admirable 
for  attacking  in  flank.  Accordingly,  this  morning 
these  troops  were  moved  out  on  roads  nearly  parallel, 
the  cavalry  and  Sixth  Corps  on  the  left,  the  Second 


164 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


in  the  center,  and  the  Fifth  on  the  right.  The  latter 
got  upon  the  road  after  the  enemy  had  passed,  but 
pushed  after  him  witli  great  vigor,  picked  up  many 
of  the  enemy’s  stragglers,  and  forced  him  to  burn 
many  of  his  wagons.  All  the  others  struck  the  en- 
emy, but  the  country  being  open  and  roads  numer- 
ous, have  not,  so  far,  made  large  captures  of  pri- 
soners as  I had  hoped.  They,  however,  forced  the 
enemy  to  abandon  much  of  his  train,  ammunition, 
etc.,  and  are  still  pushing.  General  Gibbon,  with 
Foster's  and  Turner’s  divisions,  of  the  Twenty-fourth 
Corps,  reached  here  last  night,  after  a inarch  of 
twenty  -eight  miles  for  the  day.  These  troops  were  sent 
out  to  Farmville  this  afternoon,  and,  I am  in  hopes, 
will  head  off  the  enemy,  and  enable  us  to  totally  break 
up  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia.  The  troops  are  all 
pushing  now . though  it  is  after  night , and  they  have 
had  no  rest  for  more  than  one  week.  The  finest  spirits 
prevail  among  the  men  and  I believe  in  three  days 
more  Lee  will  not  have  an  army  of  5,000  men  to  take 
out  of  Virginia,  and  no  train  of  supplies.  I have  just 
returned  from  the  right.  U.  S.  Grant,  Lieutenant- 
General.” 

“ Headquarters  Armies  of  the  United  States,  City 
Point,  April  6,  1805,  12  M.  Lieutenant-General 
Grant : In  the  Field  : Secretary  Seward  was  thrown 
from  his  carriage  yesterday  and  was  seriously  in- 
jured. This,  with  other  matters,  will  take  me  to 
Washington  soon.  I was  at  Richmond  yesterday 
and  the  day  before,  when  and  where  Judge  Camp- 
bell, who  was  with  Messrs.  Hunter  and  Stephens  in 
February,  called  on  me,  and  made  such  representa- 
tions as  induced  me  to  put  in  his  hands  an  informal 
paper,  repeating  the  propositions  in  my  letter  of  in- 
structions to  Mr.  Seward,  which  you  remember,  and 
adding  that  if  the  war  be  now  further  persisted  in 
by  the  rebels,  confiscated  property  shall,  at  the  least, 
bear  the  additional  cost ; and  that  confiscations  shall 
be  remitted  to  the  people  of  any  state  which  will 
now,  promptly  and  in  good  faith,  withdraw  its  troops 
and  other  support  from  resistance  to  the  Govern- 
ment. Judge  Campbell  thought  it  not  impossible 
that  the  rebel  legislature  of  Virginia  would  do  the 
latter  if  permitted,  and  accordingly  I addressed  a 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY'. 


165 


private  letter  to  General  Weitzel,  with  permission 
for  Judge  Campbell  to  see  it,  telling  him  (General 
W.)  that  if  they  attempt  this  to  permit  and  protect 
them,  unless  they  attempt  something  hostile  to  the 
United  States,  in  which  case  to  give  them  notice  and 
time  to  leave  and  arrest  any  remaining  after  such 
time.  I do  not  think  it  very  probable  that  anything 
will  come  of  this,  but  I have  thought  best  to  notify 
you  so  that  if  you  should  see  signs  you  may  under- 
stand them.  From  your  recent  despatches  it  seems 
that  you  are  pretty  effectually  withdrawing  the  Vir- 
ginia troops  from  opposition  to  the  Government. 
Nothing  I have  done , or  probably  shall  do,  is  to  delay, 
hinder,  or  interfere  with  you  in  your  work. 

A.  Lincoln.” 


166 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


CHAPTER  VIII  * 


Friday,  April  7th,  Grant  wrote  his  first  letter  to  Lee  about  sur- 
rendering.— The  bivouac  reveille. — Columns  move  to  “pitch 
in.” — Sheridan's  fruitful  detour. — Hard  marching. — The  oper- 
ations stated. — A deplorable  loss  where  General  Reed  was 
killed ; and  a reverse  on  Thursday  near  Rice’s  Station. — 
Farmville. — The  situation  there. — Lee’s  Headquarters. — The 
bridge  afire. — The  charge  down  hill. — The  closed  up  town. — 
General  Humphreys’  splendid  fighting.— Death  of  General 
Smythe. — Crook  fording  the  river. — His  attack  on  the  enemy’s 
wagon  train. — A desperate  encounter.— Our  loss. — Brigade 
General  Irwin  Gregg  falls  a prisoner  at  the  head  of  his  com 
mand. — The  column  broken  up. — Narrow  escapes. — The  re- 
treat relieved. — Lord’s  battery.— Re-crossing  the  river.— A 
long  night  march.— The  day’s  events  summed  up.— Some 
despatches. 


Long  before  dawn,  the  next  morning 
7th  April)  the  cavalry  bugles  were  echoing 
through  the  bivouacs  a lively  reveille,  and 
everybody  was  astir.  It  was  with  cheerful, 
hopeful  spirits  that  the  sleepy  soldiers  obeyed 
the  summons.  They  lit  their  little  coffee-fires, 

* The  notes  which  comprise  the  preceding  chapters 
were  published  by  “ Anchor.”  who  edited  them,  in 
1871  for  the  “ Army  and  Navy  Journal,”  and  in 
pamphlet  form  from  the  same  press.  In  1884  they 
were  republished  at  Edinburgh  by  the  Clarendon 
Historical  Society.  In  1898  they  again  appeared  in 
current  numbers  of  the  “Maine  Bugle.”  Chapters 
VIII.,  to  XII.  inclusive  appeared  in  the  work  issued 
by  “ Anchor”  in  1885,  entitled  “La  Royale.”  This 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


167 


groomed  and  saddled  their  horses  and  mules 
(for  the  latter  were  now  important  mem- 
bers of  “Sheridan’s  Cavalry”),  rolled  up 
their  packs,  breakfasted  frugally  on  their 
salt  meat  and  hard-tack,  and  at  the  first 
break  of  day  only  awaited  the  order  to  move. 

latter  work  contained  the  following  explanatory  in- 
troduction by  its  editor : 

“Introductory.  ‘ How  entertaining  Tremain’s 
paper  was  ; it  brought  everything  to  a focus." — Hum- 
phreys to  De  Pevster,  Nov.  1,  1872.  This  pamphlet 
constitutes  the  Second  Part  of  a Series  of  Memoranda 
hastily  thrown  together  by  General  Tremain,  who 
was  aide-de-camp  to  General  Crook,  and  was  an  eye- 
witness and  actor  in  the  scenes  which  he  under- 
takes to  record : consequently  they  may  be  con- 
sidered almost  Notes  of  Occurrences,  jotted  down 
on  the  spot.  General  Tremain  placed  his  manu- 
script— the  majority  written  while  in  camp,  about 
Washington,  in  the  summer  of  1865,  on  paper  with 
superscription,  “Headquarters  District  of  Wilming- 
ton. N.  C.,  1865” — in  my  hands  to  revise,  edit  and 
publish,  in  1871-2,  and  the  first  part,  entitled.  “ The 
Closing  Days  About  Richmond  ; or,  the  Last  Days  of 
Sheridan’s  Cavalry,”  was  printed  under  my  super- 
vision in  a pamphlet  for  private  circulation  (brevier 
type,  66  pages),  in  1873.  A copy  of  this  pamphlet 
was  sent  out  to  the  Clarendon  Historical  Society,  of 
Edinburgh,  Scotland,  of  which  I am  an  Honorary 
Member,  and  they  deemed  it  of  sufficient  value  to 
reprint  it  among  their  annual  issues,  in  No.  13, 
January  and  February,  and  in  No.  14,  March  and 
April,  1884. 

To  enhance  the  value  of  the  work  I have  added 
some  maps,  which  were  prepared  under  the  super- 
vision of  mv  dear  deceased  friend,  Maj.-Gen.  A.  A. 
Humphreys  (for  over  fifteen  months  Chief  of  Staff 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  from  the  24tli 
November.  1864.  to  the  close  of  the  operations  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  in  command  of  the  combined 


163 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


Any  particular  headquarters  might  be  distin- 
guished by  a movable  flagstaff,  surmounted 
by  a carriage  lamp,  planted  in  the  ground  be- 
fore a fire  rather  more  blazing  than  its  neigh- 

Second-Third  Corps,  which  did  the  hardest  work 
and  fighting  throughout  the  pursuit  of  Lee,  and 
who,  if  he  had  been  adequately  supported  and  rein- 
forced on  the  afternoon  of  7th  April,  1865,  would 
have  finished  the  campaign  at  Cumberland  Church, 
near  Farmville  ; whereas,  not  being  so,  the  labors 
and  losses  dragged  on,  to  be  terminated  less  glori- 
ously two  days  afterwards  at  Appomattox  Court- 
House) — which  maps  were  originally  prepared  for 
my  own  “La  Royale ; or,  the  Grand  Hunt  of  the 
Potomac,”  that  appeared  in  eight  numbers  during 
the  years  1872-73-74.  I have  also  inserted  a chapter 
on  the  battle  of  Cumberland  Church  or  Heights  of 
Farmville,  and  on  Fording,  together  with  some 
Notes,  which  have  been  added,  chiefly  in  brackets 
( [ ] ),  on  which  great  labor  has  been  expended. 

The  original  manuscript,  written  in  great  haste 
and  amid  difficulties,  was  so  involved  and  nearly  il- 
legible in  places  that  it  had  to  be  recopied  before  it 
could  go  into  the  hands  of  the  printer.  I not  only 
read  the  copy  with  the  original,  but  also  compared 
the  copy  and  proofs  several  times,  in  whole  or  in 
part,  with  the  autograph.  This  labor  of  love  was 
cheerfully  undergone,  because  the  Narrative  con- 
tains facts  which  have  never  elsewhere  been  pre- 
sented to  the  public.  * * * * * 

As  General  Tremain  is  a cherished  member  of  the 
old  Third  Corps,  Army  of  the  Potomac,  this  little 
work  is  affectionately  dedicated  to  the  Third  Army 
Corps  Union. 

[Signed,]  * J.  WATTS  de  PEYSTER.  * 

Honorary  Member  of  the  Clarendon  Historical 
Society,  Edinburgh,  Scotland. 

First  Honorary  Member,  Third  Army  Corps  Union. 

Brevet  Major-General,  S.  N.  Y. 

&c. , Ac.,  &c. 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


169 


bors,  around  which  a group  of  officers  might 
be  seen  crawling  from  under  their  blankets, 
or  making  a hurried  toilet ; while  just  behind 
was  a candle  in  a bottle  candlestick,  flicker- 
ing upon  some  rude  structure  intended  to 
serve  as  a table  and  showing  a unique  set  of 
tin  and  crockery  table  furniture,  no  two  of 
whose  dishes  belonged  to  the  same  set.  Here 
was  an  army  wagon  backed  almost  upon  the 
table,  with  its  tailboard  let  down,  exhibiting 
its  load  of  tents,  pots,  kettles,  valises,  boxes, 
barrels  and  all  such  paraphernalia,  waiting 
to  be  reinforced  by  the  table  and  its  contents. 
The  hot  coffee  fumed  in  delicious  fragrance 
over  bright  and  burning  rails,  and  was  not 
unfrequently  upset  by  some  careless  fellow 
as  he  moved  around  the  fire  at  every  change 
of  wind  to  avoid  the  smoke ; the  ham  and 
bacon,  or  tough  beefsteak,  if  anybody  was 
so  fortunate  as  to  have  it,  “ sizzled  ” away 
in  the  frying-pan,  while  the  cold,  uninviting, 
huge  plate  of  hard-tack  announced  to  the 
general  and  staff  that  breakfast  was  ready. 
Some  few  might  be  able  to  find  seats,  but 
more  usually  was  this  simple,  weird-like  meal 
sleepily  partaken  of  by  all  “ standing  and 
in  silence.”  All  was  over  by  daylight.  The 
hum  of  busy  preparation  was  passed ; a di- 
vision general  and  staff  quietly  mount;  the 


THE  LAST  110  RS  OF 


170 

bugles  sound,  “ To  horse  ! ” “ Forward  ! ” the 
confused  mass  of  horses  and  mules  and  men 
takes  shape ; and  a column  files  out  from 
among  them  to  follow  their  leader. 

Every  soldier  appreciated  what  the  cavalry 
were  to  do  to-day.  In  their  comprehen- 
sive phraseology  it  was  nothing  else  but  to 
“ pitch  in.”  “ If  we  could  only  once  get 
the  Rebs  started,”  . . . they  used  to 

say  in  less  encouraging  times.  But  now 
they  were  really  “ started,”  and  all  were 
eager  to  keep  them  “ on  the  wing.” 

In  the  cavalry  operations  of  to-day  it  was 
intended  that  the  immediate  pursuit  of  the  en- 
emy should  be  resumed ; that  he  should  be  at- 
tacked and  harassed  wherever  found ; and  the 
subsequent  movements  of  the  day  were  to  be 
determined  by  events.  Crook’s  column  was 
given  the  advance.  Shortly  after  starting 
it,  however,  Sheridan  learned  that  a com- 
mand of  General  Ord  (of  the  Army  of  the 
James)  having,  during  the  fight  of  the  day 
before,  met  a strong  and  formidable  line  of 
the  enemy  on  the  railroad  between  Burkes- 
ville  and  Rice  Station,  had  not  been  able  to 
press  far  enough  to  prevent  the  possibility 
of  Lee’s  escape  by  moving  his  main  body 
around  the  left  flank  of  Grant’s  armies,  and 
and  thus  get  ahead  of  him  on  the  road,  south, 


SHERIDAN 'S  CAVALRY. 


171 


to  Danville.  Especially  might  this  be  at- 
tempted on  the  part  of  the  enemy,  as  a good 
and  wide  road  ran  from  Lee’s  bivouacs  near 
Farmville  through  Prince  Edward  Court 
House  in  the  very  direction  to  assist  such  a 
movement.  Hearing  an  attempt  of  this 
kind  on  the  part  of  the  Rebels,  which,  if  suc- 
cessful, would  undo  all  the  strategic  advan- 
tages of  the  day  before,  Sheridan  divided  his 
forces  and  sent  General  Merritt’s  corps  to 
march  around  the  rear  of  the  Army  of  the 
James  and  to  strike  the  road  mentioned  at 
Prince  Edward  Court  House  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble. Deeming  this  matter  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance Sheridan  himself  rode  with  this 
column,  which  constituted  about  two-thirds 
of  his  entire  command — Custer’s  and  Devin’s 
Divisions. 

I do  not  believe  that  Lee  could  have  at- 
tempted any  move  of  the  nature  indicated, 
with  the  shadow  of  success,  especially  with 
the  deficiencies  in  his  supply  trains.  Be- 
sides, he  was  much  nearer  Lynchburg  than 
Danville,  and  had  a better  chance  of  reach- 
ing Lynchburg.  He  must  have  thought  so 
then,  for  no  move  was  made  in  the  direction 
feared  by  Sheridan ; and  the  long  march  of 
Merritt’s  corps  on  this  day  was  without 
further  incident  than  is  afforded  by  uncer- 


172 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


tain  country  roads  and  the  passage  of  two  or 
three  deep  and  sluggish  branches  of  the  Ap- 
pomattox— the  Sandy  river,  the  Bush  river 
and  the  Briary  river. 

It  should  be  added,  however,  that  this 
move  afterwards  proved  the  best  that  could 
possibly  be  made  for  the  main  body  of  the 
cavalry,  as  it  located  them  again  on  the  ex- 
treme left  flank  of  Grant’s  lines  and  placed 
Sheridan  so  as  to  be  able  to  operate  away 
from  the  entanglements  of  our  infantry 
columns ; while  it  situated  him  most  favorably 
for  that  grand  march  of  the  day  following 
(Saturday,  8th  April,)  when  the  enemy  was 
intercepted,  his  last  supplies  captured,  his 
reserve  artillery  parks  attacked ; and  his 
army  commanded  (compelled?)  to  halt  for 
the  night,  that  Grant’s  infantry  might  march 
up  and  demand  a surrender. 

The  main  pursuit,  then,  by  the  cavalry,  on 
the  7th  of  April,  fell  to  General  Crook’s  di- 
vision, the  old  cavalry  Division  that  had  win- 
tered with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Soon 
after  starting  and  marching  in  the  direction 
the  enemy  had  traveled,  as  indicated  by  the 
wreckage  and  remains  of  wagons,  baggage, 
caissons,  destroyed  ammunition,  clothing, 
documents  and  stragglers,  Crook  found  that 
the  gallant  Humphreys,  ever  vigilant  and 


SHERIDAN 'S  CAVALRY.  173 

earnest,  was  already  marching  on  his  right 
with  the  veterans  of  the  combined  Second- 
Third  Army  Corps.  Each  had  calculated 
upon  marching  by  the  same  road ; but,  giving- 
way  to  the  infantry,  the  cavalry  sought  its 
way  through  the  woods  and  across  plantations, 
and  neither  column  halted  in  the  eager  pur- 
suit. It  was  a clear  and  glorious  morning, 
and  the  sun  seemed  to  smile  in  triumph  over 
the  beaten  tracks  and  the  abundant  evidence 
of  a defeated  and  flying  foe. 

The  Lynchburg  railroad  between  Rice’s 
Station  and  Farmville,  as  may  he  seen  by  the 
map,  curves  like  a siphon  between  the  two 
stations,  crossing  the  Appomattox  river  nearly 
equidistant  from  each,  at  High  Bridge. 
Here  is  also  a country  bridge  for  ordinary 
vehicles.  Thither  Humphreys  marched  at 
once,  hoping  to  overtake  the  enemy  and  effect 
captures  before  he  could  cross,  and  prevent, 
if  possible,  the  destruction  of  this  valuable 
structure.  In  this  he  was  only  partially  suc- 
cessful, reaching  the  river  just  as  the  wagon 
bridge  was  being  fired  by  the  enemy’s  rear- 
guard, and  while  the  second  span  of  the  rail- 
road bridge  was  burning.  The  smaller 
bridge,  fortunately,  was  secured,  and  Bar- 
low’s Division,  having  the  advance,  at  once 
prepared  to  cross.  The  ground  on  both  sides 


174 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


of  the  river  is  high  and  affords  most  com- 
manding positions ; and  on  the  opposite  bank 
appeared  a considerable  force  of  the  enemy, 
drawn  up  to  oppose  the  passage,  in  a good 
position  strengthened  by  redoubts.  Artillery 
was  posted  to  cover  the  attack  and  Barlow 
advanced.  The  enemy’s  skirmishers  were 
quickly  driven  from  the  bridge  and  ten 
pieces  of  artillery  captured  from  him  in  the 
works  he  abandoned  on  the  north  bank,  while 
on  the  south  side  eight  more  pieces  were 
taken.  But  the  fort  was  blown  up,  and  the 
Rebel  column  moved  off  without  awaiting 
further  attack. 

Meanwhile  Crook  diverged  from  Hum- 
phreys to  the  left  and  west,  marching  by  the 
most  direct  route  towards  Farmville,  where 
the  railroad  again  crosses  the  Appomattox 
and  where  in  all  probability  important  cap- 
tures would  be  effected.  Leaving  the  com- 
bined Second-Third  Corps  and  crossing  the 
railroad,  two  small  tributaries  to  the  Appo- 
mattox, the  Sandy  and  Bush  rivers,  lay  on 
his  route.  Reaching  the  former,  Rebel  cav- 
alry appeared  on  the  opposite  bank,  while  a 
few  men  made  a bungling  attempt  to  fh’e  the 
bridge.  The  infantry  skirmishers  of  Gen- 
eral Ord’s  column  at  the  same  time  appeared. 
The  enemy  fled  without  a shot  and  all  hands 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


175 


went  to  work  to  put  out  the  fire.  Rather  a 
difficult  task  for  men  provided  with  nothing 
more  serviceable  for  this  purpose  than  mus- 
kets and  sabers.  The  bridge  was  high,  too, 
and  forty  feet  long;  its  beams  were  already 
burning.  There  were  no  pails  there  either ; 
but  the  fire  was  put  out.  Exactly  how , it  is 
pretty  difficult  to  tell ; it  did  not  take  long 
either ; but  “ where  there  is  a will,  there  is  a 
way,”  and  some  soldiers  carried  water  in 
their  hats.  This  was  the  vicinity  of  that 
terrible  slaughter  of  the  day  before,  where  a 
detachment  from  the  Army  of  the  James, 
under  General  Reed,  its  adjutant-general, 
sought  to  march  around  the  enemy’s  rear, 
reach  High  Bridge  and  destroy  it  and  all  the 
crossings  of  the  Appomattox  before  the  en- 
emy had  yet  crossed  it.  But  when  near 
Sandy  river  they  had  marched  into  a snare. 
They  found  the  enemy  on  all  sides  of  them, 
as  a “ V,”  and  out  of  the  little  picked  brigade 
of  about  fifteen  hundred  men  scarcely  a 
third  escaped.  General  Reed  was  killed,  the 
colonel  of  his  cavalry  (the  4tli  Massachu- 
setts) was  seriously  W’ounded,  and  all  the 
command  was  killed,  wounded,  captured  or 
scattered.  The  116th  and  123d  Ohio  were 
almost  destroyed  and  the  wonder  of  the  sad 
affair  is  that  any  survived  it. 


176 


the  last  hours  of 


This  was  the  most  serious  reverse  of  the 
campaign,  but  fortunately  did  not  in  the  least 
affect  its  results.  But  while  the  loss  in  life 
is  deplorable,  the  dangerous  character  of  the 
important  service  proposed,  the  enthusiasm 
which  prompted  and  led  the  whole  affair,  and 
the  fruitless  gallantry  and  heroism  of  those 
engaged,  command  universal  admiration.  It 
was  a part  of  war. 

After  crossing  Sandy  river,  Crook  soon 
again  encountered  Rebel  cavalry,  and  some 
very  sharp  skirmishing  continued  for  about 
a mile,  until  reaching  the  Bush  river  near  its 
junction  with  the  Appomattox,  to  which  it  is 
tributary.  The  road  to  Farmville,  on  which 
the  column  proceeded,  here  crossed  this  little 
stream  by  a country  bridge  within  sight  of 
High  Bridge,  and  while  Humphreys’  oper- 
ations were  going  on  there,  the  Rebels  also 
attempted  to  hold  Crook  in  check  until  the 
bridge  ahead  of  him  should  be  destroyed. 
Here,  too,  the  banks  were  steep,  the  bridge 
low,  and  the  grounds  on  each  side  of  it 
swampy  and  impracticable  for  cavalry. 
Smith’s  brigade  was  dismounted  and,  while 
skirmishing,  the  head  of  General  Ord’s  in- 
fantry column  arrived.  The  destruction  of 
the  bridge  was  prevented,  and  after  some  little 
delay  in  fighting  and  maneuvering  the  en- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


177 


emy  retired  with  our  advance  close  in  pur- 
suit, at  about  the  same  time  that  Humphreys 
crossed  High  Bridge.  [Mark!  the  infantry 
were  up  with  the  cavalry!  Anchor]. 

Taking  now  a short  but  rugged  plantation 
by-way,  the  cavalry  moved  quickly  towards 
Farmville,  leaving  the  better  and  more  com- 
mon road  on  the  left  to  the  infantrv  follow- 
ing. 

Farmville  is  a pretty  little  town  nestling 
at  the  foot  of  its  surrounding  hills,  in  Prince 
Edward  county,  near  the  junction  of  the 
Buffalo  with  the  Appomattox  rivers,  and  be- 
fore the  war  of  about  fifteen  hundred  inhab- 
itants. It  is  old  enough  to  look  thoroughly 
Virginian,  is  the  principal  point  on  the  rail- 
road between  Petersburg  and  Lynchburg, 
about  sixty-eight  miles  W.  S.  W.  from  the 
latter.  It  is  therefore  an  important  tobacco 
depot  and  much  of  the  weed  was  found  stored 
here.  During  the  war  it  has  been  the  location 
of  extensive  work  and  repair  shops.  Ambu- 
lances, wagons  and  many  other  manufactures 
for  army  use  were  here  made  and  repaired  by 
the  Confederates.  Hear  the  railroad  depot 
there  was  a firm  trestle  bridge  across  the  Ap- 
pomattox, which  is  here  ordinarily  not  ford- 
able [error  ?]  [and  ‘ 1 is  navigable  for  batteaux 
from  Farmville  to  its  mouth”  Anchor]. 

12 


17S 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


Arriving  at  the  top  of  the  cleared  hills  over- 
looking the  town,  the  Rebels  were  found  to  be 
in  occupation,  with  strong  rear  guards  of 
cavalry  to  defend  the  neighboring  heights. 
Fighting  at  once  ensued  and  after  an  hour’s 
heavy  skirmishing,  assisted  greatly  by  Lord’s 
battery  of  horse  artillery,  the  enemy 
sullenly  retired  down  the  hills  towards  the 
town,  when  our  men,  suddenly  emerging 
from  the  woods,  found  themselves  on  the 
brow  of  most  commanding  heights,  in  a most 
beautiful  and  open  country,  with  Farmville 
at  their  feet.  On  the  bridge  over  the  Ap- 
pomattox a train  of  cars  was  standing,  while 
the  fields  on  the  opposite  bank  were  black 
with  a multitude  of  men.  Who  could  these 
be  ? Flumplireys,  it  was  known,  had  crossed 
the  river  below,  but  he  could  not  have 
marched  the  main  body  of  his  corps  around 
there  so  quickly.  It  could  not  be  the  enemy, 
lie  must  have  known  on  which  road  we  were 
marching,  and  it  was  not  usual  for  him  to 
treat  us  with  such  bad  generalship  as  thus  to 
expose  a whole  corps  to  destruction. 

It  was  probably,  then,  some  strong  body, 
suddenly  detached  by  Grant  from  one  of 
the  extremes  of  his  army,  and  which  had  suc- 
ceeded in  forcing  some  extraordinary  march. 
If  so,  good,  for  here  was  a considerable  body 


SHERIDAN 'S  GA  VALR  Y. 


179 


of  Rebel  cavalry  intercepted.  Tbe  sky  bad 
clouded  over  and  the  distance  was  too  great 
to  distinguish  uniforms.  Whoever  they 
might  be,  there  they  were  beneath  us — one 
vast  crowd  of  men,  not  resting  in  lines,  but 
wandering  in  disorder  over  the  field.  They 
seemed  completely  under  our  control ; their 
lives  at  our  command.  From  the  water’s 
edge  to  the  wooded  brow  of  the  hill  beyond, 
they  appeared  a moving,  restless  mob.  ISTow 
a few  men  were  observed  on  the  railroad 
bridge,  and  soon  a little  tuft  of  smoke  puffs 
out  from  one  of  the  cars;  the  wind  fans  it 
into  a flame. 

“ They  have  not  been  able  to  get  that 
train  off  the  bridge,”  says  one  officer,  “ so 
they  are  burning  it.” 

“ !No,”  replies  somebody  else,  “ it  is  our 
men  destroying  the  bridge  to  prevent  the 
Rebel  cavalry  down  in  the  town  from  cross- 
ing and  we  will  ‘ gobble  up  ’ the  whole  lot 
of  them  certain.” 

To  open  fire  on  them  would  surely  entail 
a most  fearful  loss  of  life.  To  justify  it 
there  must  not  remain  a single  doubt  that  it 
is  the  enemy.  If  Rebels,  every  moment  was 
precious  to  us. 

Generals  peered  through  their  glasses  and 
staff  officers  galloped  off  to  find  a negro  citi- 


180 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


zen  or  somebody  who  might  decide  the  ques- 
tion, and  thus  passed  several  minutes  of 
terrible  uncertainty.  We  can  wait  no  longer ; 
it  must  be  the  enemy ; at  any  rate  it  will  soon 
he  determined. 

“ Tell  General  Smith  to  charge  down 
through  the  town,”  was  a simple  order  which 
now  needed  no  further  explanation ; and 
“ Train  those  guns  on  those  men ! ” indicated 
that  somebody  would  he  hurt.  The  bursting 
flames  and  black  heavy  smoke  arose  from  the 
railroad  bridge.  Helpless  to  prevent  it  and 
before  our  very  eyes,  almost  under  our  feet, 
was  the  destruction  now  being  completed. 
Two  Napoleon  guns  were  at  once  rolled  to 
the  brow  of  the  hill  and  trained  as  if  for  a 
pleasure  salute  towards  the  mass  of  men  on 
the  low  fields  beyond  the  river.  A shot 
was  fired  and  in  their  very  midst  a shell  ex- 
ploded. Another  quickly  followed,  and  an- 
other, and  another,  as  fast  as  two  brass  guns 
could  be  loaded  and  fired  for  a few  rounds. 
Had  there  been  here  a few  more  guns,  I doubt 
if  many  of  those  men  would  have  escaped 
with  their  lives ; as  it  was,  they  were  power- 
less. What  could  they  do  ? Not  fight ! 
They  were  infantry.  A river  was  between 
us,  and  they  were  down  on  a plain  under  our 
guns,  and  their  musket  fire  could  not  injure 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


181 


us.  So  they  quickly  glided  away.  What 
were  the  actual  casualities  just  at  this  par- 
ticular time  can  never  be  known.  General 
Lee  himself  was  there,  and  under  his  personal 
direction  a section  of  artillery  was  posted  and 
answered  to  our  fire.  But  its  shots  were  wild 
and  futile  and  were  only  laughed  at  by  our 
officers. 

The  Rebels  of  course  sought  safety  in 
flight ; yet  so  great  among  them  was  the  gen- 
eral demoralization  of  their  forces  and  so 
worn  out  with  continual  marching  and  fight- 
ing of  the  campaign  that  many  exhibited  no 
desire  for  escape.  They  seemed  resigned  to 
the  chances  of  death  or  the  sure  fate  of  cap- 
ture and  evinced  much  reluctance  to  retreat 
any  further.  So  plain  were  the  evidences  of 
this  fact  that  a mounted  guard  was  seen  to 
encircle  the  whole  field  with  a full  skirmish 
line  and  by  force  drive  away  the  multitude 
of  stragglers  beyond  the  range  of  the  guns 
now  playing  upon  them.  Such  being  the 
morale  of  an  army  no  wonder  the  surrender 
of  its  remnants  followed  within  forty-eight 
hours. 

These  troops  proved  to  be  of  Anderson’s 
corps  and  had  retired  on  Farmville  after  the 
battles  of  the  day  before  [6th].  Part  of  the 
army,  however — as  has  already  been  seen — 


182 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


retreated  from  [Little] Sailor’s 

Creek  by  way  of  High  Bridge.  Lee  himself 
was  with  the  former  portion,  which  reached 
Farmville  during  the  night,  the  troops  cross- 
ing the  river  and  bivouacking  where  they 
were  first  seen  by  the  cavalry,  while  their  ven- 
erated commander  took  up  quarters  in  the 
town  of  Farmville.  In  the  morning,  fully  ap- 
preciating the  close  pursuit  and  straightened 
circumstances  of  the  Rebel  army,  many  of  the 
citizens  had  begged  General  Lee  to  remove 
his  men  from  the  vicinity  of  the  town  as  soon 
as  possible  and  thus  avoid,  perhaps,  its  entire 
destruction,  which  would  be  a likely  conse- 
quence of  any  battle  in  the  immediate  neigh- 
borhood. We  shall  presently  see  with  how 
much  consideration  these  inhabitants  were 
treated  by  their  rebellious  countrymen. 

Meanwhile,  Smith,  with  his  gallant  little 
brigade  of  the  1st  Maine,  6th  and  13th  Ohio 
and  2d  Hew  York,  had  ridden  down  towards 
the  edge  of  the  town.  There  was  no 
“ masked  ” fighting  here ; no  maneuver  was 
hidden ; the  Rebels  saw  him  coming  and  were 
prepared.  It  is  common  for  historians  to 
tell  of  bloody  charges  up  to  the  deadly  crest ; 
how  brilliantly  and  gallantly  this  command 
stormed  a position ; or  that  one  scaled  a 
height.  But  you  do  not  often  read  of  a 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


183 


charge  down  hill,  least  of  all  such  a cavalry 
charge.  Yet  here  it  was.  Gen.  Putnam,  a 
name  always  revered  by  Americans,  than 
whom  [according  to  popular  opinion]  none 
bore  a more  honorable  part  in  the  nation’s 
virgin  war,  accidentally  helped  himself  to 
immortality  by  a John  Gilpin  escape  down 
a flight  of  stone  steps ! Connecticut  people 
to-day  will  take  visitors  to  the  field  and,  with 
no  little  pride,  point  out  the  hill  and  precise 
location  of  the  now  obliterated  steps.  Why 
may  not  Virginians  do  likewise  ? To  be 
sure  there  are  no  stone  steps  there,  but  there 
might  have  been  if  rocks  had  been  more 
plenty ; and  then  this  deficiency  is  compen- 
sated by  numbers.  In  Connecticut  only  one 
warrior  rode  down  hill  in  the  defense  of  the 
nation ; in  this  case  there  were  a thousand 
patriots  as  true  as  any  Putnam. 

By  this  time  the  remainder  of  Crook’s 
cavalry  had  come  up  and  were  marching  into 
the  town.  Davies’s  brigade  arriving  as  a 
support  to  Smith,  had  taken  charge  of  the 
place,  while  the  latter  was  pursuing  the 
enemy  to  a safe  distance  and  recalling  and 
reforming  his  regiments.  Guards  and  pa- 
trols were  placed  about  the  streets  and,  while 
the  troops  were  passing  through,  the  bands 
played,  colors  waved,  and  the  soldiers  were 


184 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


filled  with  contentment  and  enthusiasm. 
But  there  was  no  answering  sympathy  among 
the  people.  Stores  were  shut  up,  houses 
closed,  frightened  women  peeped  through 
dilapidated  doorways,  sullen  men  lolled  about 
the  porches,  obsequious  and  venerable  negroes 
attempted  to  how  in  respectful  salutation  to 
each  individual  soldier  of  the  line,  while 
others,  less  reverent,  attired  in  such  dazzling 
colors  as  their  own  or  their  former  proprie- 
tor’s limited  wardrobe  might  afford,  saun- 
tered carelessly  through  the  streets,  as  if 
they  were  celebrating  a holiday  and  the  ar- 
rival of  the  blessed  Yankees,  which  they  in- 
nocently believed  bestowed,  finally  and  for- 
ever, upon  them  that  complete  and  practical 
freedom  which  their  crude  intelligence  con- 
ceived as  the  only  result  of  emancipation. 

The  infantry  of  the  Army  of  the  James 
and  the  head  of  the  Sixth  Corps  now  ap- 
peared and  massed  on  the  neighboring  hills, 
while  Humphreys  with  his  [combined]  Sec- 
ond-Third Corps  had  pushed  on  after  the  re- 
treating enemy  from  High  Bridge  on  the 
direct  road  to  Lynchburg,  sending  Barlow’s 
Division,  however,  towards  Farmville,  as  a 
matter  of  judicious  precaution  and  to  inter- 
cept any  part  of  the  enemy  who  might  yet 
remain  there.  This  excellent  disposition  o) 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


185 


Humphreys  greatly  accelerated  the  retirement 
of  Lee’s  forces  from  Farmville  and  its  vicin- 
ity, and  a large  portion  of  them  narrowly 
escaped  capture.  Barlow  had  considerable 
skirmishing,  but  the  enemy  was  well  posted 
on  commanding  hills  and  was  enabled  to 
check  an  advance  until  his  main  body,  from 
Farmville,  had  retired  well  on  the  road  be- 
fore him.  Barlow’s  attacks,  however,  more 
than  annoyed  the  enemy.  In  abandoning 
the  town  and  its  environs  the  Rebels  were 
compelled  to  bum  about  one  hundred  and 
thirty  of  their  wagons,  which  they  were  un- 
able to  get  away.  Retiring,  then,  before 
Humphreys’  main  column,  as  well  as  Bar- 
low’s detachment,  the  enemy  fell  back  to  a 
well-chosen  position,  some  four  or  five  [three] 
miles  from  Farmville. 

During  these  operations,  Brigadier-Gen- 
eral Symthe,  commanding  one  of  General 
Barlow’s  brigades,  a gallant  young  officer 
who  had  risen  rapidly  in  the  service  and 
whose  Irish  extraction  had  only  added  notori- 
ety to  a well-earned  reputation,  was  mortally 
wounded  while  conducting  in  person  the 
operations  of  his  skirmish  line.  General 
Humphreys  mentions  in  his  official  report 
that  the  fall  of  General  Smythe  “ led  to  the 
loss  of  some  part  of  our  skirmish  line.”  It 


186 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


is  claimed  that  he  was  the  last  Union  officer 
killed  in  the  war.  [But  let  it  not  be  forgot- 
ten that  Maj.-Gen.  Gershom  Mott,  of  blew 
Jersey,  who  commanded  the  Third  Division 
(representing  all  that  remained  of  the  Old 
Third  Corps)  of  the  combined  Second  and 
Third  Corps,  had  been  severely  wounded  the 
preceding  day,  6th  April.] 

Marching  through  Farmville,  Crook’s 
cavalry  sought  to  ford  across  the  Appomattox, 
and  by  a slow  and  tedious  crossing,  over  a 
deep  and  difficult  ford,  succeeded  in  the 
course  of  the  afternoon  in  forming  itself  for 
further  operations  on  the  other  side.  Bar- 
low’s Division  was  here  met,  and  after  a 
short  deliberation  between  the  generals,  the 
advance  was  continued  by  General  Crook, 
while  Barlow  moved  off  further  to  the  right 
to  rejoin  the  main  body  of  his  corps.  The 
Sixth  Corps  was  visible  on  the  hills  to  the 
south  of  the  river  and  it  was  supposed  that 
they  would  cross  at  once  and  follow  the 
cavalry.  The  difficulties  in  crossing  infan- 
try, however,  and  the  destruction  of  the 
bridges  prevented,  and  they  occupied  the 
afternoon  in  preparing  a suitable  bridge. 
This  was  not  accomplished  until  after  dark, 
so  that  no  further  operations  took  place  dur- 
ing the  afternoon  of  the  7th  [April]  in  the 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


187 


immediate  vicinity  of  the  enemy,  except  the 
attacks  upon  him  of  Generals  Humphreys  and 
Crook. 

The  road  to  Lynchburg  from  High  Bridge 
was  the  main  road  of  that  section  of  the 
country,  and  over  this  it  was  now  quite  evi- 
dent that  Lee  with  his  main  body  was  re- 
• treating.  The  principal  part  of  Humphreys’ 

' Corps  was  following  on  the  same  road.  This 
road,  however,  was  intercepted  by  two  nearly 
parallel  roads  from  Farmville,  which  were 
also  the  main  routes  for  country  travel  from 
the  latter  town  to  Lynchburg.  On  one  of 
these  Barlow  moved,  and  again,  about  dark, 
established  himself  in  connection  with  the 
remainder  of  his  corps ; while  on  the  other 
road  and  a mile  or  two  further  to  the  left 
[west]  Crook  marched  with  his  cavalry  divi- 
sion, hoping  to  intercept  the  trains  or  at  least 
some  part  of  the  forces  whom  the  Second 
Corps  was  pursuing.  Four  or  five  miles  [3] 
north  of  Farmville,  near  where  the  two  roads 
above  spoken  of  unite,  General  Humphreys 
found  the  enemy  strongly  entrenched,  cover- 
ing both  these  roads,  known  as  the  Stage  and 
Plank  roads.  This  Rebel  force  were  posted 
apparently  with  the  purpose  of  remaining 
there  and  resisting  all  attacks,  until  the  trains, 
whose  movements  it  was  thus  covering,  should 


188 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


be  well  out  of  the  way.  General  Humphreys 
at  once  formed  his  troops  for  attack,  advanced 
his  skirmishers,  and  developed  the  position 
of  the  enemy  in  his  front  to  be  one  naturally 
strong  and  well  entrenched.  They  had 
chosen  the  crest  of  a hill  which  gradually 
sloped  off  in  front  over  open  ground,  well 
swept  by  artillery,  leaving  no  opportunity  for 
a front  attack.  A flank  maneuver  was  at- 
tempted, but  the  Rebel  line  was  found  to 
extend  far  beyond  our  own.  General  Hum- 
phreys having  as  yet  only  two  divisions  with 
him,  and  finding  so  strong  a portion  of  Lee’s 
army  thus  posted  in  the  front — indeed  the 
indications  were  that  it  was  the  main  portion 
of  the  Rebel  army — occupied  himself  with 
watching  and  maneuvering  until  Barlow’s 
division,  which  was  now  ordered  up,  could 
arrive.  Hot  being  aware  of  the  difficulties 
of  crossing  the  river,  at  this  time,  at  Farm- 
ville,  owing  to  the  destruction  of  the  bridge, 
General  Humphreys  in  sending  information 
of  his  own  situation  to  General  Meade,  natur- 
ally suggested  that  an  attack  should  he  made 
at  once  by  troops — the  Sixth  Corps,  for  in- 
stance— from  the  direction  of  Farmville. 
The  suggestion , however,  proved  unavailing. 

General  Humphreys  with  his  combined 
Second-Third  Corps  deployed  in  the  immedi- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


189 


ate  front  of  the  enemy;  and  just  at  this  time 
the  only  portion  of  Grant’s  army  halted  and 
so  situated,  awaited  with  appropriate  demon- 
strations the  arrival  of  General  Barlow’s 
division  before  any  more  serious  attack  should 
be  made.  While  doing  so,  however,  he  heard 
firing  from  the  direction  of  Farmville  and 
supposed  that  the  Sixth  Corps  had  attached 
the  enemy,  as  he  had  suggested  to  General 
Meade.  He  at  once  ordered  an  attack  on 
his  extreme  right  with  a part  of  General 
Miles’s  division.  This  was  made  by  three 
regiments  from  the  First  Brigade,  General 
Ramsey’s ; but  it  was  unsuccessful  and  re- 
sulted in  considerable  loss.  The  enemy  had 
not  reduced  his  strength  in  his  front,  nor  had 
he  yet  given  Humphreys  an  opportunity  to 
turn  his  flank.  But  the  firing  heard  by 
Humphreys  did  not  proceed  from  an  attack 
of  the  Sixth  Corps,  as  he  had  presumed,  that 
command  not  having  yet  crossed  the  river. 
It  resulted  from  an  engagement  between  the 
enemy  and  General  Crook’s  cavalry,  and  this 
affair  is,  perhaps,  more  distinctly  than  any 
other  in  that  vicinity,  entitled  to  be  known 
as  the  Battle  of  Farmville.  To  be  sure,  there 
was  a kind  of  a battle  at  Farmville  in  the 
morning,  when  the  charges  were  made,  and 
constant  smaller  engagements  in  its  im- 


190 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


mediate  neighborhood  had  been  going  on  all 
day.  But  this  particular  contest  can  be  de- 
scribed separately ; it  had  a well-defined  be- 
ginning and  end,  and  enjoyed  a complete 
entirety  unusual  to  combats  between  the  op- 
posing forces  in  a running  campaign.  It  de- 
serves a little  narrative  of  its  own. 

Crook’s  cavalry,  having  crossed  the  river 
and  formed,  took  up  the  line  of  march  along 
the  Old  Plank  road  and  moved  without  en- 
countering any  enemy  directly  towards  the 
right  flank  and  rear  of  the  Rebels,  whose 
center  and  left  were  in  front  of  Humphreys. 

The  fording  of  a stream  by  a cavalry 
column  is  an  occasion  of  very  general  in- 
terest and  amusement.  In  the  first  place  it 
usually  affords  an  excellent  opportunity  for 
refreshing  the  animals  without  any  delay, 
while  the  fresh  rippling  of  the  waters  seems 
to  stir  up  the  dry  jokes  among  the  soldiers. 
The  boys,  too,  have  a keen  sense  of  the  ludi- 
crous and  find  no  little  enjoyment  in  the 
various  mishaps  of  their  comrades  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  stream.  The  efforts  of  a “ pack 
train  ” are  especially  amusing.  The  “ pack 
train  ” of  a column  beggars  description.  It 
generally  contains  more  mules  than  horses, 
and  often  more  contrabands  than  either.  It 
takes  the  place  of  wagons,  and  is  intended  to 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


191 


consist  of  extra-liorses  and  animals  of  burden, 
carrying  rations  and  blankets,  officers’  and 
pack-horse  feed.  Practically  it  is  a sort  of 
“ omnium  gatherum  ” of  all  the  little  neces- 
sary traps  used  in  camp  and  bivouac  com- 
prising a column  which,  when  marching, 
stretches  out  to  the  length  of  a regiment 
wherein  every  man  rides  one  animal  and  pulls 
another  half  way  alongside  of  him,  in  vain 
attempts  to  lead  him  in  the  way  he  should  go 
— both  creatures  stepping  to  the  flapping 
music  of  loose  dishes  and  hard-tack,  as  im- 
provised paniers  shake  at  every  trot  their  un- 
mentionable contents.  When  equipped  and 
ready  for  the  move,  the  demure  mule,  who 
usually  bears  the  heavy  packs,  stands  before 
you  in  his  natural  plaintive  attitude,  be- 
tokening compulsory  submission  to  two  large 
champagne-baskets  or  cracker-boxes  strapped 
tightly  to  his  sides,  while  on  the  top  of  his 
back  are  huge  piles  of  brown  blankets,  shelter 
tents,  tent  flies,  india  rubber  ponchos,  and 
massive  bags  of  corn  or  oats.  On  top  of  this, 
indeed,  will  often  be  fastened  an  extra  camp 
chair  or  two,  a valise,  a tin  wash  basin,  iron 
coffee  kettle,  a venerable  looking  ax,  spade, 
and  hatchets,  with  sometimes  an  extra  saddle 
or  two.  Indeed,  a roll  of  hay  or  corn-fodder 
sometimes  surmounts  all  this,  and  not  un- 


192 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


frequently  is  a poor  animal  so  completely 
hidden  with  his  burden  that  head,  tail,  legs 
and  ears  appear  as  only  the  animate  protu- 
berances of  a concentration  of  stable,  kitchen 
and  household-ware.  Overcome  with  such 
weighty  embarrassments,  it  will  easily  be 
seen  why  pulling  at  the  halter  of  laden  ani- 
mals is  a greater  inducement  for  him  to  at- 
tempt an  elongation  of  the  neck  than  to  ac- 
cept the  earnest  tugs  at  his  head  as  a pressing 
invitation  to  speedy  locomotion.  Encum- 
brances of  this  character  require  considerable 
care  in  their  adjustment,  and,  unless  well- 
secured,  accidents  often  occur ; so  that  it  is  not 
unusual  in  crossing  a stream  to  observe  an 
unexpected  stumble  of  a faithful  mule  cause 
his  unevenly  balanced  burden  to  describe  a 
graceful  evolution  from  the  back  and  poise 
itself  beneath  the  animal  in  a position  more 
interesting  than  convenient.  Should  the 
water  be  deep  and  the  current  swift,  some 
hungry  shivering  officer  mourns  the  follow- 
ing night  the  loss  of  his  bivouac  Penates. 

When  General  Crook’s  column  was  again 
on  the  march  after  crossing  the  stream,  Gen. 
Irwin  Gregg’s  brigade  was  in  advance,  fol- 
lowed closely  by  the  brigades  of  Davies  and  of 
Smith  and  by  Lord’s  Battery.  Light  showers 
had  lain  the  dust,  and  the  brilliant  successes  of 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY.  193 

the  morning  added  to  the  zeal  which  inspired 
the  troops.  There  were  no  signs  of  an  enemy 
visible,  and  officers  and  soldiers  rode  quietly 
and  carelessly  along,  discussing  incidents  of 
the  day  and  the  prospects  of  the  pursuit. 
The  road  lay  through  cultivated  farms,  fine 
timber,  and  was  lined  with  well-built  fences, 
an  item  always  noted  by  campaigners.  After 
a march  of  two  or  three  miles  or  less,  a wagon 
train  was  discovered  moving  in  the  direction 
of  Lynchburg  and  cutting  across  the  road  on 
which  Crook  was  traveling.  The  white 
covers  of  the  wagons  were  partially  screened 
by  the  woods,  yet  nothing  more  than  a picket 
guard  appeared  to  intervene.  At  the  same 
moment  a column  of  Rebel  cavalry  was  es- 
pied moving  with  the  train.  Without  a 
moment’s  delay  the  advance  regiment  under 
Colonel  Young  (4th  Pennsylvania  Cavalry) 
charged  down  the  road,  severing  the  enemy’s 
column  and  attacking  his  train.  The  success 
bid  fair  to  be  speedy  and  complete,  but  before 
one  brigade  could  deploy,  the  Rebel  cavalry, 
comprising  in  all  about  two  brigades,  quickly 
rallied  under  cover  of  the  hills,  one  to  the 
right  of  the  road  and  one  to  the  left.  Gal- 
lantly charging,  they  enclosed  Gregg’s  column 
on  the  narrow  road  in  a perfect  V.  There 
was  little  chance  to  fight,  and  the  high  fences 
13 


194 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


on  each  side  prevented  countercharges. 
While  our  first  attack  had  thus  been  sudden 
and  without  resistance,  the  return  of  the 
compliment  was  now  impetuous  and  irresisti- 
ble. To  retreat  was  to  expose  the  whole 
column  to  utter  disorganization,  by  turning 
in  its  head  upon  itself.  Pistols  and  carbines 
at  short  range  was  the  order  of  things.  Sa- 
bers might  have  been  used  but  for  the  fences, 
and  before  they  could  be  removed,  the  inimit- 
able “ pack  train  ” decided  the  present  issues, 
sustaining  their  general  reputation  in  the 
army  of  never  being  on  hand  when  wanted 
and  always  being  where  they  were  not 
wanted.  By  some  mishap  a portion  of  one 
had  fallen  into  the  column,  not  far  from  its 
head.  The  result  was  that  the  contrabands, 
mules,  and  all  the  various  camp-paraphernalia 
thereunto  appertaining,  were  not  just  at  this 
unfortunate  moment  in  a situation  appro- 
priate to  non-combatants.  They  found  them- 
selves in  plain  view  of  more  Rebel  cavalry 
than  they  had  any  reason  to  believe  existed 
in  the  entire  Confederacy,  and,  with  that 
quick  appreciation  of  danger  so  characteristic 
of  non-combatants,  the  conclusion  was  speed- 
ily arrived  at  that  masterly  inactivity  was 
not  then  and  there  entirely  appropriate. 

Thus,  seriously  exposed  to  the  fire  of  the 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


195 


Rebels,  retreat  was  instantly  determined 
upon,  and  extra  horses,  beasts  of  burden,  lazy 
mules,  and  frightened  contrabands  united, 
suddenly,  in  one  glorious  charge,  invincible 
— but,  to  the  rear.  The  same  impetuosity 
of  this  handful  of  animals,  if  propelled  in 
the  other  direction,  must  certainly  have 
seriously  damaged  any  foe  with  which  they 
came  in  contact.  As  it  was,  dashing  head- 
long down  the  narrow  lane,  they  carried  to 
the  rear  everything  before  them.  Regiments 
calmly  marching  forward  to  their  places, 
suddenly  found  themselves  completely  broken 
by  a contagious  panic,  while  the  pack  ani- 
mals and  their  leaders  flew  on  as  if  messen- 
gers of  destruction.  Of  course,  these  things 
seriously  interfered  with  the.  formation  of 
the  troops,  as  well  as  with  their  morale , 
while  the  Rebels,  appreciating  the  advantage, 
pressed  on  and  doubled  the  head  of  the  column 
completely  back  upon  itself.  The  First 
Brigade  was  entirely  broken  Tip  and  its  com- 
mander, Brevet  Brig. -Gen.  Irwin  Gregg,  was 
fence-cornered  and  taken  prisoner  in  the 
melee  while  attempting  to  reform  his  men. 
General  Crook  also  narrowly  escaped  capture. 
The  rout  at  this  time  bid  fair  to  be  complete ; 
but  the  next  brigade  (tbe  First,  under  Gen- 
eral Davies)  at  this  time  coming  up  and 


196 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


meeting  the  retreating  and  pursued  forces, 
where  the  country  was  more  open,  quickly 
formed  and  checked  the  enemy.  Broken  up 
by  the  countercharge,  while  the  enemy  rallied 
for  another,  a line  of  battle  was  quickly  as- 
sumed, with  Davies  on  the  right  of  the  road 
and  what  was  rallied  of  Gregg’s  Brigade  un- 
der Colonel  Young  on  the  left.  Lord’s  bat- 
tery was  posted  to  command  all  parts  of  the 
field  and  Smith’s  Brigade  held  in  reserve. 
Prisoners  taken  now  brought  out  the  fact  that 
Crook’s  advance,  in  attacking  the  enemy’s 
wagon  train,  had  actually  ridden  into  the 
lines  of  a large  force  of  infantry  belonging 
to  Anderson’s  corps,  and  that  this  corps  was 
now  posted  in  our  front  under  cover  of  the 
dense  woods.  Further  attacks  on  our  part 
were  just  then  and  yet  unadvisable.  The 
Rebels,  too,  relieved  us  of  the  responsibility 
by  again  advancing  their  cavalry  to  the  at- 
tack. When  cavalry  fight  cavalry,  both  will 
naturally  choose  open  country,  and,  probably, 
there  are  no  more  really  exciting  scenes  in 
war  than  to  witness  the  charges  and  counter- 
charges of  cavalry.  This  was  one  of  them. 
Every  movement  of  the  Rebels  here  was 
plainly  visible,  and  the  gallantry  with  which 
the  colors  were  waved  in  the  advance,  urging 
forward  the  reluctant,  displayed  a spirit 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


197 


worthy  of  a better  cause,  and  told  more 
plainly  than  South  Carolina  bombast  that 
the  old  elan  and  military  ardor  was  not  yet 
lost  in  the  retreating  army.  The  moral  effect 
of  the  few  artillery  shots  that  were  now  fired 
by  Lord’s  Battery  was  instantly  perceived. 
Well  directed  and  effective,  the  “ rude 
throats  ” of  these  mortal  enemies  spoke  in 
loud  tones  of  warning,  and,  after  one  or  two 
unsuccessful  attacks,  no  further  aggressions 
were  attempted  on  our  lines.  The  skillful 
operation  and  maneuver  of  General  Hum- 
phreys about  the  same  time  seriously  aided 
in  producing  this  effect. 

There  was  no  other  road  leading  to  Lynch- 
burg on  this  [the  north  or  left]  side  of  the 
river,  except  the  one  in  use  by  the  enemy, 
and  General  Crook  remained  in  his  position 
until  he  could  hear  from  his  superiors.  Be- 
fore Sheridan,  who  was  now  at  Prince  Ed- 
ward Court  House,  could  be  heard  from,  it 
was  after  sunset.  Meanwhile  General  Grant 
had  arrived  at  Farmville  [see  collection  of 
Telegrams  and  Despatches,  collated  and  ap- 
pended] and  had  ordered  General  Crook’s 
division  to  recross  the  river,  and  to  march  to- 
wards Lynchburg  by  the  nearest  route,  soiith 
of  the  river,  along  the  railroad,  and  to  halt 
gt  Prospect  Station,  The  cavalry,  therefore. 


198 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


recrossed  the  Appomattox,  marched  again 
through  the  town,  and  arrived  about  mid- 
night without  further  incident  at  its  destina- 
tion. 

This  evening  had  given  quite  a new  appear- 
ance to  the  quiet  little  town  of  Farmville. 
The  country  about  it  became  one  vast  bivouac 
for  the  Army  of  the  James  and  the  Sixth 
Corps  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  while  the 
fields  were  filled  with  parks  of  artillery  and 
wagon  trains.  Eligible  houses  on  the  out- 
skirts of  the  town  were  occupied  as  various 
headquarters,  at  some  of  which  the  sweet 
strains  of  serenade  softened  the  asperity  of 
war,  subduing  the  boisterous  groups  about  the 
bivouac  fires.  Many  a weary  soldier  after  a 
tedious  day  march  gazed  musingly  into  the 
curling  flames  of  his  camp  fire,  and  was  car- 
ried back  to  comfortable  homes,  cherished 
voices  and  loving  faces,  as  the  night  breezes 
wafted  over  the  fields  the  notes  of  a familiar 
selection.  With  the  twinkling  stars  unhid- 
den, the  blazing,  crackling  rails,  the  little  cup 
of  “ sizzling  ” coffee,  the  steady  tramp  of  the 
sentry,  the  dim  outlines  of  tents  and  wagon 
covers,  the  “ munching  ” of  the  animals,  the 
otherwise  hushed  quiet  of  the  sleeping  camp 
about  him,  the  soldier  muses  on  the  day  gone 
by  and  conjectures  the  changes  of  the  morrow. 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


199 


"Who,  but  those  who  have  once  experienced  it, 
can  tell  the  effect,  with  this  weird  scene,  of 
the  solemn  strains  of  the  Miserere,  the  wild 
notes  of  Robert  le  Diable,  the  voluptuous  sere- 
nade from  Don  Pasquale ? Who,  then,  will 
taunt  military  music  as  a superfluous  expense, 
as  only  the  “ pomp  and  circumstance  of  glori- 
ous war ! ” Hone  know  better  than  command- 
ers the  silent  potent  influence  of  the  “ Bands.” 

Hear  Prospect  Station  several  roads  crossed 
the  railroad  leading  south  in  the  direction  of 
Danville  from  the  roads  on  which  Lee  was 
known  to  be  moving.  Apprehensive  that  by 
these  means  the  Rebel  general  might  even  yet 
make  an  attempt  to  change  the  direction  of 
his  retreat  towards  Danville,  Sheridan,  on 
his  arrival  at  Prince  Edward  Court  House, 
sent  McKenzie  with  his  cavalry  to  cross  the 
Buffalo  river,  and  to  make  a reconnoissance 
to  Prospect  Station.  This  was  accomplished 
by  the  latter  without  meeting  anything  but 
stragglers  from  the  enemy.  McKenzie  had 
scarcely  been  gone  half  an  hour  from  the 
station,  when  the  head  of  General  Crook’s 
column  arrived  there,  and  at  once  wTent  into 
camp.  The  station  house  was  filled  with 
tobacco,  and  the  only  other  building  in  the 
locality  seemed  to  be  occupied  by  a “ lone 
widow,”  her  children  and  servants.  It  has 


200 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


been  amazing  bow  many  “ widders  ” the 
Yankees  found  in  the  Confederacy.  This 
particular  one  had  a story  a little  different 
from  many  others.  “ She  did  not  know  ” — 
on  inquiry — “ where  her  husband  was.” 
“ Had  she  a husband  at  all  ? ” “ Yes,  she 

did  have  one ! ” “ Well,  what  had  become  of 
him,  then  ? ” “ She  didn’t  know ; he  went 

down  the  road  one  day  to  get  some  rations, 
and  she  never  had  heard  of  him  since.  This 
was  some  months  ago,  and  she  supposed  now 
that  he  had  been  cut  off.” 

Arriving  at  Prospect  Station,  it  was  a 
little  difficult  to  learn  from  the  intelligent 
contrabands  whether  a column  of  Lee’s  army 
had  passed  that  point  or  not.  So  great  had 
been  the  number  of  Rebel  stragglers  that 
they  were  by  many  mistaken  for  regular  or- 
ganizations of  regiments  and  brigades  on  the 
march.  This  may  account  somewhat  for  the 
reports  brought  to  Sheridan’s  headquarters, 
by  scouts  and  others,  that  part  of  the  enemy 
were  believed  to  be  moving  towards  Danville. 
The  country  over  which  we  were  now  operat- 
ing had  not  before  been  visited  by  large  bodies 
of  soldiers,  and  the  simple  inhabitants  were 
deceived  by  the  squads  and  crowds  of  strag- 
glers which  traveled  every  road.  Many  of 
these  soldiers  were  accompanied  by  their  line 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


201 


officers,  and  with  most  the  conclusion  had 
been  arrived  at  that  the  war  was  now  about 
finished. 

The  operations  of  the  7t.h  of  April,  of  the 
tenth  day  of  the  campaign  [the  “ Last 
Hunt,”]  may'  he  summed  up  in  brief  to  be 
the  close  pursuit  of  Lee’s  army  from  day- 
light until  dark  for  about  the  distance  of 
fifteen  miles,  during  which  skirmishes  had 
taken  place  at  the  crossing  of  every  creek, 
the  Sandy  river,  Bush  river,  High  Bridge, 
Farmville,  and  again  a few  miles  beyond. 
The  loss  of  the  enemy  was  nineteen  pieces  of 
artillery  and  the  destruction  of  about  one 
hundred  and  thirty  wagons  of  their  train, 
and  this  was  inflicted  by  the  combined  Sec- 
ond-Third Corps  alone.  The  loss,  also,  of 
the  stores,  machinery  and  material  at  Fann- 
ville  was  not  inconsiderable.  Ho  accurate 
mention  can  be  made  of  the  number  of  prison- 
ers taken  during  the  day,  or  the  number  of 
stragglers  induced  away  from  their  com- 
mands by  the  vigor  of  the  pursuit.  Among 
the  Rebel  generals  known  to  have  been 
severely  wounded,  was  Brigadier-General 
Lewis,  commandant  of  a brigade  in  Walker’s 
division,  Gordon’s  corps,  who  fell  into  our 
hands.  The  loss  on  our  part  was  principally 
jp  the  combined  Second-Third  Corps,  al- 


202 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


though  Crook’s  cavalry  also  lost  quite  heavily. 
Humphreys  loss  was  six  [five] hundred  and 
seventy-one  in  killed  and  wounded  [since  he 
started  on  this  hunt;  how  many  on  the  7th 
has  never  been  separately  stated.  This  state- 
ment (if  erroneous)  originated  with  William 
Swinton.  As  soon  as  one  wolf  howls,  the 
pack,  without  cause,  will  join  in  a chorus  of 
discord  ; so  it  has  been  in  this  matter.  An- 
chor.] Probably  one  thousand  is  a large 
estimate  for  Grant’s  entire  loss;  among  the 
officers  were  Brigadier- General  Smytlie, 
mortally  wounded,  and  Brevet  Brig. -Gen. 
John  I.  [not  the  famous  David  McGregor] 
Gregg,  taken  prisoner. 

General  Gregg,  it  will  be  remembered,  was 
captured  in  the  heat  of  battle  near  Farmville, 
on  the  7th,  p.m.,  and  at  the  same  time  his 
watch,  pocket-book  and  valuables  demanded 
of  him  as  the  price  of  his  life,  a threat  which 
could  have  easily  been  enforced,  and  his 
death  charged  to  the  general  conflict.  Dis- 
cretion, however,  was  the  better  part  of  valor, 
and  two  days  afterwards  General  Gregg  was 
released,  his  captors  being  themselves  cap- 
tured at  the  surrender  with  the  army. 

The  movements  during  the  day  of  the 
various  corps*  under  General  Grant  may  be 
* See  note  at  end  of  this  Chapter. 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


203 


easily  traced  on  the  map.  The  combined 
Second-Third  Corps  moved  from  Sailors’ 
Creek  across  the  Appomattox,  via  High 
Bridge,  to  Farmville,  and  abont  five  miles  be- 
yond on  the  Lynchburg  road.  The  Sixth 
Corps,  direct  from  the  battlefield  of  Little 
Sailors’  Creek,  via  Bice’s  Station,  to  Farm- 
ville. General  Ord’s  column  of  the  Army  of 
the  James  also  moved  from  its  position  near 
Bice’s  Station  direct  on  Farmville.  The 
Fifth  Corps,  which  was  early  in  the  morn- 
ing near  the  combined  Second-Third,  fol- 
lowed the  latter  corps  to  High  Bridge,  when 
it  moved  directly  across  the  rear  of  the  army, 
from  its  extreme  right  to  its  extreme  left, 
and  halted  for  the  night  at  Prince  Edward 
Court  Llouse.  Thither  also  Sheridan  had 
moved  Merritt’s  cavalry  corps,  via  Bice’s 
Station,  from  [Little]  Sailors’  Creek. 
Crook’s  wing  of  cavalry  moved  in  the  front 
and  center  of  the  army,  on  the  left  of  the 
combined  Second-Third  Corps ; but  after 
crossing  the  river  at  Farmville,  recrossed 
again  and  encamped  about  midnight  at 
Prospect  Station.  To  the  latter  point 
McKenzie’s  cavalry  also  had  made  a recon- 
noissance  from  Prince  Edward  Court  House. 
ISTo  indications,  however,  had  yet  appeared 
that  Lee  was  disposed  to  attempt  a retreat 


204 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


on  Danville.  His  object  seemed  to  be  to  get 
out  of  Grant’s  way  by  the  most  available 
routes,  without  paying  any  special  attention 
to  their  general  direction.  Lee,  too,  was  out 
of  rations,  and  the  account  of  the  operations 
of  8th  April  will  indicate  his  prospects  as  to 
a retreat  towards  Lynchburg  and  how  they 
were  baffled. 

A last,  but  a most  important  item  of  to- 
day’s results  are  the  two  little  notes  which 
passed  between  the  commanders  of  the  op- 
posing forces,  beginning  the  correspondence 
which  terminated  the  contest.  General 
Grant’s  first  letter  was  written  on  this  day, 
wherein  he  expresses  his  conviction  that  the 
result  of  the  last  week  must  convince  Gen- 
eral Lee  “ of  the  hopelessness  of  further  re- 
sistance on  the  part  of  the  Army  of  North- 
ern Virginia  in  this  struggle.”  Lie  regards 
it,  therefore,  as  his  duty  to  shift  from  him- 
self the  responsibility  of  any  further  effusion 
of  blood,  by  asking  the  surrender  of  his  en- 
emy. An  interesting  preface  to  this  note — 
perhaps  its  inspiration — is  read  in  a despatch 
from  General  Sheridan,  dated  the  previous 
evening,  6th  April,  11.15,  p.  m.,  and  report- 
ing his  engagement  of  that  day.  This 
characteristic  despatch  tersely  concludes,  “ If 
the  thing  is  pressed,  I think  Lee  will  surrep- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


205 


der.”  The  “ thing  ” was  “ pressed,”  and 
Lee  did  surrender.  Lee  replied  to  General 
Grant’s  note  under  the  same  date,  recipro- 
cating the  “ desire  to  avoid  useless  effusion  of 
blood.”  But  General  Grant  did  not  receive 
this  answer  until  the  following  morning 
8th.  [Be  it  remembered  in  this  connection 
that  all  the  correspondence,  to  and  fro,  of 
the  7th  and  Stli,  passed  through  the  lines 
of  the  combined  Second-Third  Corps  under 
Humphreys,  who  alone  was  persistently  press- 
ing and  almost  the  whole  time  in  contact  or 
treading  on  the  very  heels  of  Lee,  on  the  6th 
7th,  8th  and  9th,  and  ready,  with  the  help  of 
the  Sixth  Corps,  to  demolish  him  on  the  9th. 
Had  the  Sixth  Corps  reinforced  Humphreys 
on  the  7th  (so  has  he  often  declared  by  letter 
and  in  conversation)  it  would  have  been  done 
at  Cumberland  Church,  on  the  7th.  Anchor.  ] 


Note.  The  movements  spoken  of  maybe  outlined 
from  the  following  despatches  : 

“ Farmville  April?,  1865.  Major-General  Sheridan  : 
The  Second  Corps  and  Crook’s  cavalry  are  north  of 
the  river  at  this  place.  I have  no  report  yet  of  ap- 
pearances in  their  front,  but  hear  contradictory  re- 
ports— one,  that  Lee  is  going  to  Maysville  [Marys- 
ville] ; another,  that  he  will  strike  south  by  roads 
farther  up  the  river.  Think  on  the  whole,  you  had 
better  throw  your  cavalry  up  the  river  toward  Chick- 
kentown  to  watch  the  different  crossings.  The 
Twenty-fourth  corps  will  move  up  the  south  bank 
of  the  river.  Just  as  this  was  written  some  of  our 
men  who  were  captured  last  night  have  returned. 


206 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


They  state  that  just  as  they  left  about  1,000  cavalry 
were  thrown  out  toward  the  crossings  above  here. 
You  may  be  able  to  get  in  the  rear  of  the  enemy  pos- 
sibly. It  is  reported  among  the  citizens  here  that 
Lynchburg  was  evacuated  last  night.  I do  not 
doubt  but  Stoneman  is  there.  U.  S.  Grant,  Lieuten- 
ant-General.” 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters,  April,  7,  1865-6.45  p.  m. 
Lieutenant-Gen.  U.  S.  Grant,  Commanding  Armies 
of  the  United  States.  General : On  arriving  at  Prince 
Edward  Court-House  this  p.  m.  I sent  Mackenzie’s 
division  of  cavalry  to  Prospect  Station  on  the  Lynch- 
burg railroad.  His  advance  should  have  reached 
there  before  this.  I am  following  with  the  First  and 
Third  Cavalry  Divisions  and  will  reach  the  vicinity 
of  Prospect  Station  to-night  if  I do  not  go  to  Chicken- 
town.  Very  respectfully,  P.  H.  Sheridan,  Major- 
General,  U.  S.  Army,  Commanding.” 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters,  Prospect  Station,  April  7, 
1865.  Lieut. -Gen.  U.  S.  Grant. Commanding  Armies  of 
the  United  States.  General : I am  moving  the  cavalry 
column  on  Appomattox  Depot.  There  are  eight 
trains  of  cars  at  that  point  to  supply  Lee’s  army. 
Everything  is  being  run  out  of  Lynchburg  toward 
Danville.  Our  troops  are  reported  at  Liberty.  This 
must  be  Stoneman.  One  of  my  scouts  reports  this. 
Possibly  it  may  not  be  true.  Very  respectfully.  Gen- 
eral, your  obedient  servant,  P.  H.  Sheridan,  Major- 
General,  U.  S.  Army,  Commanding.” 

“ Farmville,  April  7.  1885.  Major-General  Sheri- 
dan : The  Second  and  Sixth  Corps  will  press  the 
enemy’s  rear  to-morrow  on  the  north  side  of  the  river, 
the  Sixth  Corps  keeping  in  next  to  the  river.  The 
Fifth  and  Twenty-fourth  corps  will  push  up  by  Pros- 
pect Station,  and  will  be  ready  to  turn  upon  en- 
emy at  any  time.  I will  move  my  headquarters  up 
by  the  soiith  bank  in  the  morning.  U.  S.  Grant, 
Lieutenant-General.” 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


207 


CHAPTER  IX. 


Saturday,  April  8th,  and  its  marches  and  developments. — The 

railroad  trains  of  rations.— Their  capture The  night  battle 

at  Appomattox  Station.— Lee  outmarched.— Custer's  energy 
and  sagacity. — Devin’s  stolid  assistance. — They  “ win  out.” — 
A call  for  locomotive  engineers.— They  appear  and  run  the 
captured  trains  into  the  Union  lines. — A struggle  for  the 
Lynchburg  Pike. — Twenty-five  guns  and  two  hundred  wagons 
captured  in  the  darkness. — Sanguinary  struggle. — Sad  losses. 
— Record  breaking. — Night  marches  of  infantry. — Some  des- 
patches. 

Step  by  step  we  have  marched  over  the 
great  eleven  days’  campaign,  and  now  we 
come  to  the  last  day  of  its  continuance.  The 
record  of  April  8th  will  be  unusually  dull 
and  Avithout  brilliancy;  yet,  it  Avas  on  this 
day  that  the  marches  and  masterly  movements 
Avere  made,  which  the  next  morning  brought 
at  bay  the  Grand  Army  of  Northern  Virginia, 
checked  its  fruitless  attempts  at  escape,  re- 
pelled its  assaults,  doubled  it  back  upon  itself, 
and  encircled  the  proud  and  Aveary  host  A\7itli 
a final  “ anaconda.”  April  8th  was  the  day 
and  the  night  when  legs  usurped  the  rights  of 
valor,  and  fleetness,  plus  impetuosity,  won  the 
victory.*  It  is  curious  under  these  circum- 

* See  notes  at  the  end  of  this  Chapter  IX. 


208 


tiie  last  hours  of 


stances  that  the  operations  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  for  this  day  should  be  officially 
detailed  in  two  lines ; but  official  reports 
should  be  brief.  General  Meade’s  is  espe- 
cially so  in  this  instance;  his  account  of  this 
day’s  movements  being  contained  in  the  re- 
mark, that  “ the  next  day,  April  8th,  the  pur- 
suit was  continued  on  the  Lynchburg  Stage 
Road.” 

From  the  position  of  Grant’s  forces  the 
night  before,  of  course,  the  combined  Second- 
Third  Corps  had  the  advance,  and  took  up 
the  direct  pursuit.  Lee  had  encamped  for  the 
night  along  “ the  Stage  Road,”  just  men- 
tioned, many  of  his  troops  extending  south 
as  far  as  the  Appomattox  river.  The  camp 
fires  of  his  numerous  stragglers  spread  his 
forces  out  in  every  direction,  but  the  main 
body  rested  a considerable  distance  beyond 
the  advance  of  the  combined  Second-Third 
Corps ; so  that  when  Humphreys  resumed  his 
march,  on  the  morning  of  the  8th,  he  did  not 
come  up  with  the  enemy  for  several  hours. 
Lee’s  march,  however,  could  not  have  been 
perfectly  serene.  Four  pieces  of  artillery 
were  abandoned,  the  usual  rubbish  cast  away 
by  encumbered  troops  and  wagon  trains  still 
lined  the  roads.  After  a march  of  nearly  fif- 
teen miles,  at  New  Store,  the  combined 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


209 


Second-Third  Corps  came  op  with  the 
enemy’s  cavalry  pickets.  The  corps  had  hut 
one  road  to  march  on,  and  in  his  report  Hum- 
phreys says  that  “ a halt  was  made  of  about 
two  hours  at  sunset,  when  the  march  was  re- 
sumed with  the  object  of  coming  up  with  the 
main  force  of  the  enemy ; but,  finding  no 
probability  of  doing  so  during  the  night,  and 
the  men  being  much  exhausted  from  want  of 
food  and  from  fatigue,  the  head  of  the  column 
was  halted  at  midnight.  The  rear  did  not  get 
up  until  morning,  and  the  supply  train  of 
two  days’  rations  later.”  Thus  did  the  com- 
bined Second-Third  Corps  pass  the  day. 

Following  the  combined  Second-Third  was 
the  Sixth  Corps,  which  during  the  night  had 
constructed  such  a bridge  over  the  Appomat- 
tox at  Farmville  as  answered  the  present 
purposes.  The  Sixth,  therefore,  played  no 
important  part  during  the  day  [but  might 
have  played  the  most  important,  if  they  had 
improvised  a bridge  on  the  7th,  and  hurried 
across  to  the  support  of  the  combined  Second- 
Third  Corps.  Anchor.] 

On  the  south  side  of  the  river,  by  the  same 
route  used  by  Crook’s  cavalry  the  night  be- 
fore, General  Orel’s  command  moved  from 
Farmville  along  the  railroad  towards  Lynch- 
burg, followed  by  the  Fifth  Corps  under  Gen- 
14 


210 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


eral  Griffin.  These  movements  were  under 
the  personal  direction  of  the  Lieutenant-Gen- 
eral, as  the  following  brief  dispatch,  written 
on  the  evening  of  April  7,  will  show,  while, 
at  the  same  time,  it  illustrates  General  Grant’s 
judicious  generalship  in  seizing  the  oppor- 
tune moment,  and  giving  to  his  subordinates 
orders  for  their  guidance  too  explicit  and 
direct  to  admit  of  any  mistake  or  modifica- 
tion. 

[If  this  book  expressed  Anchor’s  senti- 
ments, the  preceding  sentence  would  be  ob- 
literated and  quite  another  substituted.  An- 
chor.] 

Headquarters  Armies  of  the  United  States, 
Farmville,  April  7th,  1865. 

General  Meade. 

Order  the  Fifth  Corps  to  follow  the 
Twenty -fourth,  at  G A.  m.,  up  the  Lynchburg 
road,  tlie  Second  and  Sixth  to  follow  the 
enemy  north  of  the  river. 

[Signed],  U.  S.  Grant, 
Lieutenant-General. 

Here  was  the  program  for  the  infantry. 
Brief  and  complete,  it  offers  another  ex- 
planation to  the  harmony  and  success  of  the 
campaign.  The  vigilance  of  the  Lieutenant- 
General  suffered  nothing  to  escape  him,  and 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


211 


on  this  occasion  he  himself  arranged  the  de- 
tails for  the  march  of  his  armies,  lest  another 
such  mistake  [Whose  ? Grant’s ! that  of  no- 
body else.  Meade,  in  this  case  was  blameless, 
but  saddled  with  the  blunder.  Anchor]  as 
that  after  the  battle  of  Jetersville  might  again 
lose  him  a few  hours  and  golden  oppor- 
tunity. 

Sheridan,  with  the  cavalry  of  Merritt  and 
McKenzie,  resumed  the  march  at  daylight 
from  Prince  Edward  Court  House  direct  to 
Prospect  Station,  where  General  Crook 
awaited  his  arrival.  West  of  this  point  the 
railroad  makes  a considerable  bend  to  the 
southward.  The  cavalry  moved  to  the  west, 
therefore,  in  two  columns,  one  along  the  rail- 
road, and  one  by  roads  further  to  the  north ; 
Merritt’s  corps  taking  the  latter,  with  his  two 
divisions,  under  Custer  and  Devin,  moving 
for  a.  while  parallel  to  each  other,  while 
Crook’s  wing  marched  along  the  railroad. 

This  order  of  march  placed  the  latter  more 
distant  from  the  enemy,  and  left  General 
Merritt  to  manage  affairs  in  their  immediate 
vicinity.  Although  the  Rebels  were  supposed 
to  be  moving  on  the  Lynchburg  Pike,  yet, 
early  in  the  day,  little  had  been  heard  of  them. 
Custer,  however,  whose  division  was  nearest 
to  this  road,  began  soon  to  gather  in  quite  a 


212 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


number  of  stragglers,  and,  from  all  be  could 
learn,  deemed  it  of  great  importance  that,  his 
march  should  be  prosecuted  with  every  dili- 
gence. Hence  he  arrived  first  at  the  point 
where  his  road  was  crossed  by  the  one  over 
which  Devin  was  marching,  and,  therefore, 
assumed  the  responsibility  of  continuing  his 
progress,  although  the  advance  to-day  properly 
belonged  to  Devin’s  (First)  Division. 

(In  explanation,— It  was  a custom  in  most 
parts  of  the  Union  Army,  in  forming  the 
daily  program  for  march,  to  assign  the  ad- 
vance to  the  various  commands  in  regular 
rotation. ) 

Sheridan  himself  accompanied  the  former 
[Custer].  The  cavalry  were  followed  on 
these  routes  by  the  Fifth  and  Twenty-fourth 
Corps.  The  march  continued  during  the 
greater  part  of  day,  without  any  more  special 
interest  than  would  be  awakened  by  the  recep- 
tion of  a great  variety  of  reports  from  the 
different  sections  of  country  through  which 
the  column  was  marching.  The  large  number 
of  stragglers  from  Lee’s  army,  who  had  been 
seen  in  some  quarters,  completely  deceived 
the  people.  They  had  scarcely  any  definite 
idea  as  to  the  whereabouts  of  the  Rebel  army. 
Some  thought  that  it  had  gone  towards  Dan- 
ville, others  that  it  was  pretty  well  dispersed, 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


213 


and  all  united  in  confirming  the  broken 
spirits  of  its  soldiers.  Some  of  the  simple 
people,  when  asked  what  would  be  done,  now 
that  Richmond  had  fallen,  rejoined  with  an 
expression  of  the  most  implicit  confidence  in 
General  Lee.  ' Two  elderly  ladies  strolled 
quietly  into  the  lines  during  one  of  the  short 
halts,  and,  calling  an  officer  aside,  one  cau- 
tiously remarked  that  she  “ didn’t  ’zactly 
know,  but  she  didn’t  see  how  they  could  fight 
any  more  now,  nohow.  Fact  is,”  she  added, 
in  a much  more  confidential  manner,  and  with 
a significant  nod  towards  her  companion, 
indicative  of  a suspicion  that  she  might  betray 
her,  “ they  won’t  fight  any  more ; they’ll 
surrender.  I think  they’ll  really  surrender.” 
It  is  almost  useless  to  say  that  the  old  lady  at 
once  became  a favorite,  although  the  veterans 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  could  scarcely 
credit  the  belief  that  their  antagonist,  for  so 
long  a time  at  the  head  of  the  Rebel  army, 
should,  under  any  circumstances,  succumb 
thus  early  in  the  usual  spring  campaign. 

At  Pamplin’s  Station,  about  eight  miles 
from  Prospect,  were  found  some  cars  and 
disabled  locomotives,  while  in  the  depot  were 
stored  sorghum  and  some  boxes  of  fine  new 
Springfield  muskets.  Meanwhile,  Sheridan 
had  learned  through  his  ubiquitous  scouts, 


21-1 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


that  at  Appomattox  Station,  about  ten  miles 
beyond,  there  were  four  trains  of  ears  laden 
with  commissary  stores  and  supplies  of 
various  kinds  for  the  Rebel  army ; and  the 
cavalry  pressed  on  with  more  vigor.  It  was  a 
long  day’s  march  with  but  one  short  halt. 
While  nothing  had  been  seen  of  the  enemy,  a 
brush,  more  or  less  serious  was,  of  course,  an- 
ticipated when  the  trains  should  be  reached. 
Of  course  a considerable  force  of  Lee’s  army 
must,  by  this  time,  have  reached  that 
vicinity.  It  could  scarcely  be  possible  that 
Sheridan  was  completely  in  their  advance ; 
and  I do  not  think  I am  wrong  in  stating  it 
as  the  general  anticipation  that,  on  encounter- 
ing the  force  in  the  neighborhood  of  this  new 
depot,  we  would  be  in  the  very  midst  of  a 
large  camp  of  the  enemy. 

In  reply  to  Custer’s  despatches  to  Sheridan, 
reporting  his  progress  and  observations,  the 
latter  replied  that,  “if  those  trains  can  be 
taken  work  enough  will  be  done  for  one  day.” 
But  this  was  not  the  end  of  this  day’s 
work. 

Lee  was  more  than  weakened.  His  army 
was  retreating,  where,  or  for  what  good  pur- 
pose, who  could  tell.  The  Confederate  capi- 
tal had  fallen  and  its  President  taken  flight. 
Defeat  and  demoralization  had  dispersed  the 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


215 


Army  of  Northern  Virginia.  Officers  had  told 
their  men  that  they  might  as  well  go  home  now, 
evenlhing  was  lost.  Many  arms  had  been 
thrown  away;  artillery  by  batteries  and  -wag- 
ons by  hundreds  abandoned,  burned.  Every 
calculation  during  the  campaign  for  the  sup- 
ply of  his  commissariat  had  been  tlrwarted. 
The  fall  of  Richmond,  although  perhaps  an- 
ticipated and  partially  provided  for,  was  sud- 
den and  premature.  There  was  no  oppor- 
tunity to  care  for  the  preservation  of  the  im- 
mense stores  there,  so  necessary  but  now  lost 
to  the  supply  of  Lee’s  army.  Rebel  officers 
are  fond  of  inveighing  against  the  Confed- 
erate authorities  for  the  large  amount  of  stores 
abandoned  in  Richmond.  They  might  better, 
it  was  thought,  have  been  given  away  to  the 
soldiers  and  to  the  needy  in  the  city,  rather 
than  to  have  been  destroyed.  Quantities  of 
coffee,  flour  and  sugar  were  found  there.  It 
was  a long  and  harassing  march  by  night  and 
by  day,  with  skirmishes,  and  without  the 
best  of  roads,  from  Petersburg,  on  its  fall, 
on  the  2d,  to  the  Danville  railroad,  which  was 
reached  two  days  afterwards.  But  here  the 
supplies  expected  and  so  confidently  tele- 
graphed for  were  cut  off  and  Lee  detained 
to  watch  and  to  fight.  Again  he  pushed  for 
Lynchburg  and  succeeded,  with  a portion  of 


216 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


his  army,  in  meeting  a few  cars  at  Earmville. 
But  his  army  received  therefrom  no  sub- 
stantial additions  to  its  commissariat,  and 
retreating,  fighting,  wearied,  heartsick  and 
almost  without  hope,  his  men  marched  on  to 
the  west  again.  The  stores  there  awaiting 
their  arrival  were  doomed  to  become  spoils 
for  Sheridan.  Is  it  a wonder  that  this  army, 
so  closly  pursued,  harassed,  pushed  back  from 
one  road  to  another,  away  from  the  course 
it  would  follow,  its  supplies  captured  and 
without  any  base  of  operations  in  the  present 
or  in  prospective ; is  it  a wonder  that  these 
men  lost  spirit,  dispersed,  and,  in  a short  ten 
days,  from  a large,  well-appointed  army, dwin- 
dled away,  down  to  less  than  enough  to  con- 
stitute a Confederate  Army  Corps  ? This 
too,  while  its  commander,  whom  all  so  re- 
vered, was  writing  his  adversary  for  “ terms 
of  peace.”  The  wonder,  rather,  is,  that  any 
army  was  left,  or  that  there  yet  remained  any 
of  that  military  esprit  which  delights  in  vic- 
tory, which  exhibited  itself  in  some  of  the 
closing  charges  of  the  Rebel  cavalry  on  the 
morning  of  the  final  surrender. 

Custer’s  Division,  having  the  advance,  first 
struck  Appomattox  Station,  defended  only  by 
a squad  of  cavalry,  and  by  quick  maneuver- 
ing surrounded  and  captured  the  trains, 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


21 7 

from  which  wagons  were  being  loaded,  before 
any  force  could  appear  for  their  relief ; even 
before  they  could  steam  away — so  complete 
was  the  surprise.  The  railroad  at  this  point 
is  about  two  miles  south  of  the  Lynchburg 
stage  road,  which  runs  through  Appomattox 
Court  House,  and  along  which  the  main  body 
of  Lee’s  army  was  moving.  Hear  this  point 
was  a camp  of  hospital  train,  a large  park 
of  wagons  and  a park  of  surplus  artillery, 
estimated  by  some  officers  at  twenty-five  and 
by  others  at  fifty  pieces.  Being  well  in 
Lee’s  advance  these  troublesome  encumbrances 
to  the  speedy  movements  of  an  army  wrere 
preparing  to  bivouac  for  the  night  in  fancied 
security.  The  artillery  was  guarded  by  a 
small  division  of  infantry  and  a division  of 
cavalry.  A detachment  from  Lee’s  advance 
also  reached  the  depot  about  the  same  time 
with  our  cavalry.  They  were  at  once  driven 
back,  however,  when  the  trains  were  captured, 
and  they  were  followed  closely  by  Custer.  A 
portion  of  the  wagon  trains  nearly  succeeded 
in  moving  off ; but  there  now  occurred,  here, 
however,  one  of  the  hottest  and  hardly  con- 
tested collisions  of  the  campaign.  It  was  one 
of  those  affairs  that  did  not  really  occupy  a 
very  great  length  of  time  and  of  which  official 
reports  would  have  nothing  more  interesting 


218 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


to  say,  than  that  “ a short  engagement  with 
the  enemy  here  took  place.”  According  to 
General  Sheridan’s  official  report,  “ General 
Devin  coming  np  went  in  on  the  right  of 
Custer.  The  fighting  continued  until  after 
dark  and  the  enemy  were  driven.” 

But  this  brilliant  little  fight  is  entitled  to 
more  consideration.  It  took  place  near  the 
Lynchburg  stage  road  and  was  brought  on 
by  Custer  in  his  attempts  to  drive  the  enemy 
and  secure  the  possession  of  this  great  high- 
Avay.  It  Avas  the  only  route  noAV  open  for 
Lee  towards  Lynchburg,  or,  indeed,  the  only 
main  route,  that  he  could  travel  in  any  direc- 
tion, in  his  efforts  to  escape  our  forces. 
Could  Sheridan  obtain  and  hold  possession 
of  this  road  thus  directly  in  Lee’s  front,  and 
there  remain,  Avell  established,  until  a good 
portion  of  the  strong  corps  of  infantry  fol- 
loAving  him  should  arrive  for  his  relief  [sup- 
port or  stiffening],  Lee  Avould  be  completely 
surrounded,  Avith  no  possible  means  of  escape. 
To  the  north  of  him  and  parallel  with  his  line 
of  march,  Avound  the  Appomattox,  unfordable 
and  Avith  no  established  crossing  for  many 
miles.  Even  if  any  such  had  existed,  a 
journey  in  that  direction  would  have  been  of 
no  avail  to  the  enemy.  In  his  rear  the  main 
body  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  (the  com- 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


219 


bined  Second-Third  and  Sixth  Corps,  under 
Humphreys  and  Wright,  respectively),  was 
in  close  pursuit  and  [the  former]  constantly 
harassing  him.  On  his  left  flank,  towards 
the  south,  Sheridan’s  cavalry  column,  fol- 
lowed by  the  Fifth  and  Twenty-fourth  Corps, 
were  marching  almost  directly  parallel  with 
and  endeavoring  to  intercept  Lee,  in  which 
intention,  should  Sheridan  be  successful,  and 
reach  and  hold  a point  on  the  road  beyond 
Lee’s  advance,  there  offered  the  Rebel  leader 
no  possible  means  of  escape,  other  than  to 
pierce  the  lines  surrounding  him. 

The  appearance  of  Sheridan  at  Appomattox 
Depot,  almost  as  Lee’s  extreme  advance  had 
arrived,  was  therefore  an  additional  disaster ; 
and  sound  military  policy  dictated  that  no 
effort  should  be  spared  to  repel  any  further 
advance  of  the  Union  troops  in  this  direction. 
But  the  small  force  of  cavalry  and  infantry 
guarding  the  trains  and  surplus  artillery, 
which  had  reached  this  point  in  advance  of  the 
main  body  in  order  to  escape  the  uncertainties 
of  battle,  was  not  sufficient  to  delay,  per- 
manently, the  onward  progress  of  Sheridan. 
It  is  a doubtful  principle,  but  one  held  by 
some  of  our  most  successful  cavalry  leaders, 
that  it  is  the  province  of  cavalry  never  to 
hesitate  in  making  an  attack;  that  no  time 


220 


THE  LAST  HOUJRS  OF 


should  be  lost  in  cautious  reconnoitering. 
[This  was  Suwarrow’s  idea.  Anchor.]  If 
anything  is  to  be  gained,  the  more  precipitate 
and  unexpected  the  attack,  the  greater  its  prob- 
able success.  The  chances  in  its  favor  greatly 
over-balance  the  risks  of  serious  disaster  in- 
curred by  attacking  on  enemy  with  a position 
and  force  uncertainly  ascertained,  and,  should 
the  movement  prove  injudicious,  a skillful 
general  will  usually  discover  it  in  time  to  pre- 
vent any  great  misfortune  to  a well-disciplined 
cavalry.  It  was  in  strict  accordance  with  views 
of  this  character  that  Sheridan  and  his  gen- 
erals pursued  this  stirring  campaign.  With- 
out “ note  or  comment  ” the  Rebels  were 
attacked  wherever  found.  Ho  time  was 
previously  consumed  in  reconnaissances  and 
dispositions,  but  when  the  occasion  presented 
itself  a fight  ensued.  Thus  it  was  in  the 
attacks  of  each  division,  successively,  at  dif- 
ferent points,  of  the  enemy’s  line  of  march  on 
the  morning  of  the  6th  (April)  near  [but  south 
of]  Deatonsville.  [Let  there  be  no  mistake; 
not  on  the  road  on  which  Humphreys  fought, 
over  and  ahead,  fourteen  miles  and  for  eleven 
hours.  The  cavalry,  always  claiming  the  lion’s 
share  of  the  glory  of  this  pursuit,  which  justice 
cannot  assign  to  them,  is  said  to  have  been  “ in 
Deatonsville.”  Justly  does  Humphreys  re- 


SHERIDAN 'S  CA VALR Y. 


221 


mark : “ The  despatch  from  Meade  to  me 

(signed  ‘ Webb,  Chief  of  Staff  ’)  telling  me 
abont  Deatonsville,  was  received  by  me  after 
I had  got  two  miles  beyond  Deatonsville  and  had 
left  it  behind  me  for  more  than  an  hour.”  If 
any  one  will  look  at  the  map,  on  which  the 
operations  of  the  different  corps  and  services 
are  distinctly  marked,  he  will  see  that  the  cav- 
alry were  at  work  upon  a mere  side  issue  and 
moving  on  a lateral  road.  The  whole  district 
thereabouts  may  have  been  known  by  the  prin- 
cipal settlement,  as  Deatonsville,  but  there 
was  no  “ station.”  General  Custer  admitted 
the  cavalry  were  not  on  the  line  or  route  the 
combined  Second-Third  Corps  fought  over, 
driving  the  Eebels  before  them,  from  one 
strong  and  strengthened  position  after  an- 
other. The  fact  is,  history,  “ that  vast  Mis- 
sissippi of  falsehoods,”  as  Matthew  Arnold 
styled  it — particularly  military  history,  is 
simply  an  aggregation  of  special  pleas  for  this 
one  or  that.  Anchor.] 

Thus  it  was  again  on  the  afternoon  of  the 
7th,  near  Farmville,  when  Crook’s  column  was 
brought  so  quickly  to  a halt.  Independently 
of  the  principle  that  the  pursuers  should  al- 
ways harass  the  pursued,  the  cavalry  of  Sheri- 
dan owes  much  of  its  success  in  previous  cam- 
paigns, but  especially  in  this  one,  to  the  dash- 


222 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


ing  compliance  of  its  leaders  with  this  in- 
teresting theory. 

So  on  this  evening  of  the  8th  April,  Custer 
had  captured  the  railroad  trains  near  the  sta- 
tion of  Appomattox,  while  the  probability 
was  that  he  would  soon  encounter  a large 
camp  of  the  enemy,  or  perhaps  his  main  body. 
The  facts  are,  that  with  the  small  force  at 
his  command  and  Avithout  aAvaiting  further 
advice  or  instructions,  he  at  once  opened  a 
battle.  The  trains  being  captured,  the  en- 
emy began  a most  destructive  artillery  fire 
upon  the  station  and  there  was  great  danger 
of  the  prize  being  lost.  Upon  this,  just  as 
Avhen  the  Massachusetts  6th  and  ISTew  York 
7th  Avere  on  their  first  journey  to  Washington, 
at  the  breaking  out  of  the  Avar,  and  a call  Avas 
made  for  engineers,  to  put  the  locomotives  in 
order  and  start  them  out  with  the  troops  from 
Annapolis  to  Washington,  there  Avas  a ready 
and  competent  response ; so,  noAv,  at  the  close 
of  the  Avar,  during  the  hasty  movements  con- 
sequent upon  a cavalry  engagement  and  while 
the  shots  fleAV  over  and  through  the  newly- 
made  prizes,  and  Avhen  each  soldier  had  a 
duty  to  perform  which  might  pardon  him  for 
not  remembering  Avhat  was  his  former  civil 
occupation  or  whether  he  ever  had  any  at  all, 
a call  was  made  for  engineers  from  the  ranks. 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


223 


“ Wlio  could  engineer  these  trains  from  the 
danger  of  recapture  ? ” A response  was 
ready  in  the  Harris  Light  Cavalry,  and  the 
new  engineers  assumed  their  posts.  Soon  a 
timorous  whistle  and  laborious  puffs  an- 
nounced the  struggles  of  the  iron  monsters, 
and  in  a short  time  a long  bold  whoop  and  tho 
regular  sounds  of  movements  over  the  rails 
aroused  the  curiosity  of  the  troops  not  yet  ar- 
rived. The  track  being  in  order  the  trains 
were  run  into  better  established  positions 
within  our  lines.  They  passed  by  columns  of 
our  men,  awakening  the  most  intense  interest 
and  curiosity  among  the  soldiers  of  Devin 
and  Crook,  who  were  also  marching  up  along 
the  railroad.* 

* In  liis  memoirs  General  Sheridan  gives  the  partic- 
ulars of  his  obtaining  information  about  the  railroad 
trains  containing  Lee’s  supplies,  and  the  orders  un- 
der which  his  cavalry  generals  were  pushed  forward 
with  a view  to  intercept  and  capture  these  trains. 
He  credits  the  exploit  and  the  opening  of  the  battle 
of  that  evening  to  “two  regiments”  of  Custer's 
Division.  These  two  regiments  belonged  to  the  First 
Brigade,  of  the  Third  (Custer’s)  Cavalry  Division. 
Company  K.,  of  the  Second  New  York  Harris  Light 
Cavalry,  was  in  the  advance  of  this  regiment,  which 
was  at  the  head  of  Custer’s  column  ; and  in  the 
advance  of  the  regiment  were  four  picked  men  re- 
connoitering  on  the  run  as  far  ahead  as  was  possible. 
They  heard  a peculiar  whistle  and  puff.  The  distance 
could  only  be  judged  by  the  smoke  above  the  trees. 
As  the  whistle  blew  again  to  start  one  of  these  four, 
dashing  down  the  railroad  track  with  his  carbine, 
covered  the  engineer  in  approved  style,  commanding 


224 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


Meantime  Custer  continued  his  fight,  to 
assure  his  position  at  Appomattox  Station  and 

“ hands  up,”  and  so  held  the  train  for  a few  moments 
until  the  head  of  the  regiment  reached  the  spot.  A 
minute  later  and  the  train  would  have  moved  off. 
The  dash  was  none  too  soon.  Meanwhile  Confeder- 
ate troops  were  advancing  to  the  succor  of  the  trains. 
Before  the  New  York  Cavalry  could  all  be  gotten  up 
into  line  company  after  company  of  it  was  thrown 
upon  the  skirmish  line  to  cover  the  trains  and  pre- 
vent the  enemy’s  skirmishers  from  coming  in  upon 
the  volunteers  who  had  been  quickly  summoned  to 
man  the  trains.  The  next  regiment  in  Custer’s 
column,  the  Third  New  Jersey  Cavalry,  came  on  the 
ground  at  a gallop  and  became  engaged  on  the  right 
of  the  New  York  Regiment,  whose  line  was  already 
overlapped  by  that  of  the  enemy.  These  two  regi- 
ments were  obliged  to  confront,  and  they  held  in 
check,  a superior  force  of  Confederates  until  nearly 
dark,  before  the  head  of  the  main  body  of  Custer’s 
column  could  ai'rive.  As  regiment  after  regiment 
under  Custer  then  came  upon  the  ground  the  enemy’s 
line  seemed  to  grow  stronger  and  larger,  with  both 
artillery  and  infantry  playing  on  our  men.  Devin’s 
column  finally  arrived  and  prolonged  our  line  on 
Custer’s  right ; and  the  fighting  continued  long  into 
the  night  as  described  in  the  text,  and  in  the  official 
reports  referred  to.  The  soldier,  one  of  the  four 
advancing  videttes,  who  held  up  the  engineer  was 
Fred  E.  Blodgett,  of  Company  K,  Second  New  York 
Harris  Light  Cavalry  ; who.  although  then  a boy  of 
only  sixteen  had  served  with  his  regiment  in  over  a 
dozen  battles  from  the  Wilderness  to  Appomattox, 
and  like  most  of  the  cavalrymen  of  that  type  and 
training,  knew  when  and  how  to  “ do  things.”  This 
“ tiling  ” he  certainly  did  handsomely  and  effectively. 

The  Confederate  Battery  that  had  the  station  and 
trains  within  its  easy  range  and  play  from  the 
moment  of  the  first  attack,  was  finally  captured  with 
the  other  guns  and  captures  that  were  secured  upon 
the  field  that  night.  (See  also  Confederate  reports 
quoted  from  in  Chapter  XIII.) 


HOLDING  UP  LEE’S  SUPPLY  TRAINS. 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


225 


to  advance  liis  troops,  if  possible,  as  far  as 
the  Lynchburg  pike,  capturing  such  artillery 
and  trains  as  might  be  between  him  and  that 
road  and  holding  a position  there.,  directly 
across  Lee’s  line  of  march,  until  further  or- 
ders should  be  received  from  his  superiors. 
This  was  the  true  plan  and  it  was  most  skill- 
fully and  successfully  executed. 

Pennington’s  and  CapehartV  brigades, 
numerically  knowrn  as  the  First  and  Third 
Brigades,  of  Custer’s  Division,  being  the  lead- 
ing commands  in  the  column,  were  brought 
into  action  as  soon  as  on  the  ground,  and 
efforts  were  at  once  made  to  capture  the  ar- 
tillery, which  was  doing  considerable  damage 
among  the  troops.  Canister  was  freely  used 
by  the  enemy,  and  it  was  at  one  time  quite 
doubtful  whether  the  trains  could  be  run  off 
successfully.  The  extemporized  engineers 
from  the  “ Harris’  Light  ” did  their  work 
well,  however,  and  the  prizes  were  secured. 

The  position  of  the  enemy  was  covered  by 
thick  woods,  on  every  approach,  and  night 
was  fast  coming  on.  But  Custer  maintained 
the  fight  by  repeated  charges,  now  on  the 
right,  now  on  the  left,  now  in  the  center.  The 
enemy  was  kejDt  thoroughly  occupied  and  no 
opportunity  was  given  him  to  reconnoiter  or 
test  the  strength  of  the  attacking  force. ' Had 
1$ 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


floe 

lie  done  so,  with  a well-disciplined  although 
small  force  of  infantry,  the  wooded  character 
of  the  country  was  greatly  in  his  favor  as 
against  cavalry.  Custer’s  charges  were  re- 
pulsed or  only  a few  rods  would  he  gained. 
The  Second  Brigade  (third  in  column),  un- 
der Wells,  was  then  brought  into  action  and 
fresh  charges  made,  both  mounted  and  dis- 
mounted, against  the  enemy’s  position.  His 
guns  continued  to  grow  more  destructive  at 
each  approach.  Men  and  officers  were  becom- 
ing discouraged  in  these  attempts,  appar- 
ently so  futile.  Custer  himself  now  led  the 
charges  and  seemed  ubiquitous,  exerting  his 
every  effort  to  maintain  every  inch  he  could 
gain,  and  to  imbue  his  men  with  the  enthu- 
siasm of  his  own  nature.  In  this  latter  en- 
deavor his  mercurial  temperament  usually 
helped  him  to  success.  Mo  rail  fences  were 
converted  into  slight  breastwork,  no  defen- 
sive line  attempted;  hut  bold,  persistent 
and  determined  personal  efforts  were  made  to 
break  the  enemy’s  front.  Many  officers,  how- 
ever, engaged  in  this  contest,  expressed  the  be- 
lief that  it  was  impossible  to  gain  the  position 
desired,  and  urged  that  further  efforts  be  de- 
sisted from  at  present.  Hot  the  slightest 
anxiety,  however,  was  manifested  as  to 
Custer’s  ability  to  hold  his  own  position  he- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY.  227 

fore  what  opposition  might  here  be  brought 
against  him. 

The  whole  fighting  force  of  the  three  bri- 
gades was  kept  in  action.  Darkness  came 
on,  and,  guided  by  the  flashes  of  the  enemy’s 
guns,  Custer  was  still  pushing  and  pressing 
here  and  there  along  the  line.  His  officers 
kept  track  of  him  with  difficulty  and  sought 
him  by  recognition  of  his  voice  in  words  of 
command,  or  by  the  blasts  of  his  bugle  as 
ever  and  anon  it  sounded  the  “Forward!” 
and  “ Charge ! ” It  must  have  been  about 
nine  o’clock  in  the  evening,  which  had  been 
passed  in  this  entertaining  manner,  when, 
as  though  impatient  of  further  delay,  he 
shouted  to  a staff  officer  (Brevet  Col.  E.  W. 
Whittaker,  Chief  of  Staff  and  Lieut.-Col.  1st 
Connecticut  Cavalry),  that  “ those  guns  must 
be  taken  in  five  minutes.”  The  officer  quickly 
passed  the  word  along  the  line,  which  re- 
sponded in  renewed  and  hearty  cheers.  The 
shout  was  taken  up  from  man  to  man  and 
simultaneously  the  lines  moved  forward.  The 
Rebels  heard  it  and  did  not  rejoice,  but  began 
to  retire.  They  were  discovered  to  be  aban- 
doning their  guns,  many  of  which  had  been 
taken  off  to  the  pike  running  from  Appomat- 
tox Court  House  to  Lynchburg,  which  road 
was  not  far  distant  from  the  scene  of  the 


223 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


fight.  With  cheer  upon  cheer  the  line  ad- 
vanced and  swept  everything  before  it.  The 
enemy’s  position  was  abandoned  and  an  in- 
discriminate mass  of  guns,  caissons  and  bag- 
gage-trains captured.  Without  stopping  to 
lose  themselves  among  these  trophies,  under 
the  lead  of  Custer,  in  the  darkness,  by  a nar- 
row obscure  road  and  through  the  thickest 
underbrush,  our  men  pushed  on  in  pursuit. 
The  column  was  obliged  to  march  “ by  fours  ” 
only,  but  the  random  shots  of  stray  pieces  of 
artillery,  by  which  the  Rebels  sought  to  in- 
timidate our  men,  were  now  without  result. 
The  advance  was  continued  and  over  an  un- 
certain by-road  the  pike  was  finally  reached. 

The  enemy  now  took  both  routes  of  retreat ; 
one  toward  Lynchburg  and  the  other  toward 
Appomattox  Court  House,  not  two  miles  dis- 
tant, where  Lee’s  army  was  bivouacking  for 
the  night.  Once  upon  that  highway  the 
troops  emerged  into  an  open  country,  while 
over  undulating  fields,  and,  glimmering  like 
fire-flies,  on  the  hills  just  beyond  the  little 
village,  broke  into  view  the  camp-fires  of  all 
that  remained  of  the  Rebel  host.  Will  the 
soldiers  who  saw  them  that  night  ever  forget 
the  scene  ? 

But  there  was  no  time  for  contemplation. 
The  road  was  packed  with  trains  of  baggage, 


SHERIDAN 'S  CA  VALE  Y. 


229 


supplies  and  artillery  in  one  grand  inextrica- 
ble confusion,  some  headed  one  way  and  some 
another,  and  all  so  thoroughly  interlocked 
and  obstructing  the  road,  that  over  this  ex- 
cellent highway,  ordinarily  passable  for 
several  wagons  traveling  abreast  of  each 
other,  a single  horseman  could  with  difficulty 
select  a bridle  path.  But  the  enemy  was  not 
yet  disposed  to  abandon  the  hope  of  holding 
this  road.  They  seemed  to  feel  assured  that 
our  cavalry  could  not  remain  long  upon  it; 
and  that  portion  of  them  who  fled  toward 
Lynchburg  now  unlimbered  guns  on  our  men 
from  that  direction,  while  those  fleeing  for 
rescue  toward  Appomattox  Court  House  as- 
sisted in  the  annoyance.  While  incidents  of 
this  character  frequently  gave  commanding 
generals  the  most  anxious  solicitude  and  at- 
tention, it  sometimes  happens  that  the  quick 
impulse  of  some  officer  meets  the  emergency. 
So  it  was  here.  Before  any  provision  could 
be  made  for  disposing,  in  the  darkness,  of  the 
somewhat  scattered  troops  to  silence  this  fire, 
now  in  the  rear,  a group  of  horsemen,  which 
was  afterwards  proved  to  consist,  in  great 
part,  of  officers  led  by  the  enthusiastic  prop- 
osition of  one  of  their  number,  guided  by 
the  flash  of  the  guns,  suddenly  charged  this 
new  fire,  silenced  it,  and  captured  the  guns. 


230 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


All  the  plunder  seemed  now  in  our  posses- 
sion, as  well  as  the  road  by  which  Lee  was 
retreating,  and  over  which  he  must  pass  to 
escape  the  “ anaconda.” 

Custer  did  not  halt,  however,  but  continued 
his  advance  toward  the  Court  House,  until 
he  encountered  an  infantry  barricade,  when 
a halt  was  ordered,  and  a line  in  front  thereof 
established.  Directions  were  given  to  se- 
cure the  artillery  and  valuable  portions  of  the 
captured  wagon  trains  as  speedily  as  possible 
by  running  them  off  to  the  south  side  of  the 
railroad  at  the  station. 

About  this  time,  General  Devin’s  Division 
dismounted,  and  reached  the  road  on  which 
Custer  was  operating  from  across  the  fields 
at  his  right.  Devin’s  troops  had  been  dis- 
mounted early  in  the  action,  and  deployed  on 
the  right  of  Custer’s  line,  where  the  service 
they  rendered  was  chiefly  to  distract  the 
enemy  by  the  appearance  of  “ Yankees  ” 
upon  every  quarter.  The  dense  character 
of  the  country  rendered  communication  be- 
tween the  different  generals  exceedingly 
slow  and  difficult,  especially  after  dark. 
ILence,  Devin’s  troops  did  not  become  ser- 
iously engaged. 

It  was  now  arranged  that  General  Devin’s 
troops  should  assume  a line  of  one  brigade, 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


231 


facing  Lee’s  army  toward  the  Court  House, 
and  one  also  toward  Lynchburg  at  the  west, 
thus  relieving  General  Custer’s  men,  while 
the  latter  should  be  occupied  in  clearing  the 
field  of  the  captures.  These,  it  was  found, 
amounted  to  twenty-five  pieces  of  artillery 
and  over  two  hundred  wagons,  the  latter 
filled  mostly  with  baggage. 

It  was  midnight  before  Custer  himself  left 
the  field,  when  he  rode  to  the  hospital  and 
visited  his  wounded.  Had  it  been  daylight, 
then,  he  would  have  seen  the  green  sajdings, 
about  which  his  men  so  valiantly  and  success- 
fully fought,  bent  and  split  by  canister  from 
the  artillery.  The  trees  and  the  artillery  car- 
riages in  the  park  were  perforated  with  bul- 
let holes;  horses  wallowed  in  the  bloody  mud, 
and  the  first  dawn  of  day  upon  the  spot  would 
tell  any  observer  of  the  deadly  character  of 
that  evening’s  contest.  Surgeons  of  wide  ex- 
perience in  the  cavalry  remarked  that  they 
never  treated  so  many  extreme  cases  in  so 
short  a fight.  The  wounds  were  chiefly 
made  by  artillery,  and  were  serious ; many 
patients  being  badly  mangled. 

This  battle,  fought  on  the  eve  of  surrender, 
when  the  Rebel  general  knew  too  well  that 
further  resistance  was  in  vain,  entailed,  as 
usual,  its  sad  sacrifices.  Lieutenant-Colonel 


232 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


Aug.  J.  Root,  of  the  15th  New  York  Cavalry, 
a noble  and  brave  man,  was  killed  in  the  last 
charge  on  the  “ pike,”  near  Appomattox 
Court  House.  His  body  fell  into  the  hands 
of  the  enemy,  and  was  found  with  Lee’s  army 
on  the  next  morning,  after  surrender,  stripped 
of  all  clothing.  Major  Howe,  of  the  1st 
West  Virginia  Cavalry  was  also  instantly 
killed  in  this  action.  But  my  pen  fails  to  do 
justice  to  the  memory  of  all  these  faithful 
soldiers.  Their  name  too  is  legion,  and  I 
leave  the  task  to  better  hands. 

Sheridan,  of  course,  lost  no  time  in  notify- 
ing General  Grant  of  the  result  of  his  day’s 
operations,  as  well  as  Generals  Ord  and 
Griffin,  commanding  the  infantry  on  this 
wing  and  in  this  vicinity,  respectively,  of 
the  Army  of  the  James  and  of  the  Fifth 
Corps,  which  had  started  in  the  morning  in 
rear  of  the  cavalry.  Knowing  that  daylight 
would  again  appear  before  General  Grant 
might  be  able  to  receive  his  message  and  to 
issue  fresh  orders  upon  his  report,  he  urged 
the  generals  just  mentioned  to  press  on  with 
all  possible  energy,  and  that,  if  they  could 
reach  him  in  time,  there  was  no  possible 
means  of  escape  for  the  enemy.  “ The  last 
ditch  ” had  been  discovered.  These  coxn- 
jnanders  judiciously  determined  to  force  the 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


233 


march  at  night,  and  the  head  of  their  columns 
reached  Appomattox  Depot  about  two  o’clock 
on  the  morning  of  the  9th,  thus  having 
marched  all  day  and  the  greater  part  of  the 
night.  The  march,  too,  at  times,  was  to  some 
of  the  troops  exceedingly  tedious,  owing  to 
the  frequent  halts,  which  are  often  unavoid- 
able when  so  large  a column  uses  only  one 
road  of  travel. 

[“  I ” (says  Capt.  Charles  W.  Greene, 
111th  Colored  Troops,  U.  S.  Volunteers,) 
“ belonged  to  Ord’s  column  of  the  Army  of  the 
James.  I think  it  was  on  the  6th  of  April, 
1865,  that  we  arrived  near  Farmville  [Rice’s 
Station?].  We  encamped  in  dense  young 
woods  and  lay  there  till  the  7th.  We  lay  in 
shelter  tents  on  the  7th.  We  marched  east- 
ward across  a beautiful  valley,  fording  two  or 
three  wide  streams,  waist  deep,  and  encamped 
near  Farmville.  Early  on  the  morning  of 
the  8th  we  awoke,  passed  through  Farmville 
in  the  early  twilight,  and  made  a splendid 
march  of  forty-seven  miles  (so  it  was  said) 
to  a point  near  Appomattox  Court  House. 
We  had  not  a straggler — every  man  was  in 
his  place  when,  near  midnight,  we  fell  upon 
the  damp  April  ground,  and  slept  sweetly 
til  4 a.  m.  ; then  a rapid  march,  a halt  for 
coffee  (drunk  boiling  hot)  and  for  a hard- 


234 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


tack  bolted  in  haste ; a sharp  cannonade,  a 
swift  double-quick,  a headlong  run,  a rush 
of  our  cavalry  out  of  the  woods  with  some 
Rebel  battle  flags,  with  the  news  that  Lang- 
don’s  Battery  was  lost  to  the  Johnnies.  We 
rush  in,  our  left  in  front,  a hurrying  deploy- 
ment of  two  companies  of  skirmishers,  a fine 
march  into  a field  by  the  rear  rank  in  our 
haste,  my  company  with  the  colors ; a halt, 
news  from  one  of  Sheridan’s  staff  that  Lee 
was  about  to  surrender ; then  a dozen  or  two 
hurrahs,  with  tears  of  joy  unnumbered;  then 
written  orders  from  Grant  to  move  no  men, 
but  to  remain  where  we  were ; then  directions 
from  Sheridan  to  move  under  cover  of  a hill 
to  an  unguarded  road,  by  which,  I doubt  not, 
many  of  Lee’s  men  might  have  escaped,  if 
some  did  not;  then  news  of  the  Surrender ; 
and  a closing  in  of  the  lines  and  the  exit  of 
a large  number  of  our  prisoners  from  Lee’s 
lines.  That  was  news  enough  for  one  day!  ”] 
That  portion  of  Sheridan’s  cavalry  which 
had  not  been  engaged,  aware  of  the  length 
of  the  day’s  march  they  had  accomplished, 
went  into  bivouac,  long  after  dark,  and  were 
astonished  at  the  first  break  of  the  day,  in  an- 
swering to  reveille,  to  find  in  the  same  field 
with  themselves  long  stacks  of  trusty  mus- 
kets. A cavalry  soldier  may  feign  a want  of 


SHERIDANS  CAVALRY. 


235 


respect  for  infantry ; but  he  usually  expresses 
a certain  sense  of  relief  on  learning  of  the 
proximity  of  troops  from  that  branch  of  the 
service!  So  on  the  morning  of  the  9th;  con- 
scious of  the  importance  of  the  next  few 
hours,  these  men  answered  in  silent  sym- 
pathy to  each  other. 

This  infantry  obtained  little  sleep  during 
the  night.  Many  were  marching  all  night 
(8th — 9th),  some  not  arriving  until  (9th) 
morning.  The  same  was  the  case  with  the 
other  wing  of  Grant’s  army,  who  were  fol- 
lowing Lee  more  directly,  where  the  rear  of 
the  combined  Second-Third  Corps  did  not  get 
up  until  (9th)  morning.  If  the  pursuers  were 
obliged  to  make  these  extraordinary  exer- 
tions, what  must  have  been  the  efforts  of  the 
pursued?  But  it  was  these  forced  marches 
during  the  day  and  night  of  the  8th — -9th  of 
April,  which  settled  the  fact  of  Lee’s  sur- 
render on  April  9th.  The  cavalry  could  not 
have  withstood  by  itself  the  attacks  which,  on 
the  morrow,  were  brought  against  it.  The 
march  of  a strong  body  of  infantry,  with  a 
fleetness  unknown,  because,  perhaps,  unneces- 
sary, during  many  of  the  former  operations 
against  which  Lee  had  contended,  was  unex- 
pected to  him ; and,  as  we  shall  see  in  re- 
counting the  affairs  of  to-morrow — 9th  April 


236 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


— when  once  he  learned  the  fact,  hostilities 
were  suspended.  It  is  universally  admitted 
in  military  circles,  that  the  unusual  march 
of  the  troops  just  mentioned  was  the  most 
effective  among  the  immediate  causes  of  the 
final  surrender.* 


* Note  : Some  interesting  despatches  bearing  upon  the  intense 
operations  of  the  day  and  night  of  April  eighth  include  the 
following  : 

“ Farmville,  April  8, 1865.  Major-General  Sheridan : 
Make  a detail  from  your  own  command  to  go  with 
the  ambulances  of  the  Fifth  Corps  to  collect  in  your 
wounded.  I think  Lee  will  surrender  to-day.  I ad- 
dressed him  on  the  subject  last  evening  and  received  a 
reply  this  morning  aslcing  the  terms  I wanted.  We 
will  push  him  until  terms  are  agreed  upon. 

U.  S.  Grant,  Lieutenant-General.” 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters,  Buffalo  River,  April  8,  18- 
65.  Lieutenant  General  Grant,  Commanding  armies 
of  the  United  States  : General : I respectfully  inclose 
a dispatch  from  General  Merritt.  If  this  is  correct 
the  enemy  must  have  taken  the  fine  road  north  of  the 
Appomattox  River.  I will  move  on  Appomattox 
Court-House.  Should  we  not  intercept  the  enemy 
and  he  be  forced  into  Lynchburg  his  surrender  then 
is  beyond  question.  P.  H.  Sheridan.  Major-General.” 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters,  Walker’s  Church,  April  8, 
1865.  Maj.  Gen.  George  Crook,  Commanding  Second 
Cavalry  Division  : General : We  are  now  at-Walker’s 
Church,  and  after  passing  Sawney’s  Creek  will  turn 
to  the  left  and  join  you  at  Appomattox  Station.  I 
think  the  enemy  are  moving  now,  and  are  about  at 
Appomattox  Court-House.  Custer  is  now  moving 
to  the  left  to  join  you,  and  Gibbon  is  in  your  immedi- 
ate rear.  If  you  can  by  any  means  strike  the  enemy’s 
trains  do  so.  P.  H.  Sheridan,  Major-General.” 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters,  Prospect  Station,  April  8, 
1865,  Maj.  Gen.  George  Crook,  Commanding  Second 
Cavalry  Division  : General : The  major-general  com- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


237 


manding  directs  that  you  move  your  command  in 
the  direction  of  Appomattox  Depot,  so  as  to  reach 
there  to-night,  unless  the  enemy's  movements  inter- 
fere with  these  instructions.  You  will  move  your 
division  on  the  road  running  near  the  railroad. 
General  Merritt  will  move  his  command  on  the  direct 
road  to  Appomattox  Court-House  and  will  move  on 
Appomattox  Depot  when  he  arrives  in  the  vicinity  of 
Ferguson  Mountain.  General  Merritt  will  be  re- 
quired to  keep  open  communication  with  you  on  the 
side  roads.  General  Mackenzie  will  be  ordered  to 
report  to  you  with  his  command  Very  respectfully, 
Jas.  W.  Forsyth,  Chief  of  Staff.” 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters,  Appomattox  Station, 
April  8,  1865.  General  Gibbon:  We  have  captured 
four  trains  of  cars  with  locomotives.  The  trains 
were  loaded  with  supplies.  One  of  the  trains  was 
burned.  Thirty  pieces  of  artillery  and  a large  num- 
ber of  wagons  and  prisoners.  If  it  is  possible  to  push 
on  your  troops  we  may  have  handsome  results  in  the 
morning.  Very  respectfully,  P.  H.  Sheridan,  Major- 
General. 

P.  S.  We  captured  1,000  prisoners,  including  one 
general  officer,  and  from  150  to  200  wagons.” 

“ Headquarters,  Twenty-Fourth  Army  Corps,  Five 
Miles  from  Appomattox,  April  8,  1865 — 7.15  p.m. 

Lieutenant-General  Grant : General : a staff  officer 
from  General  Sheridan  has  just  reached  me.  Sheri- 
dan has  captured  three  railroad  trains  loaded  with 
supplies  for  the  enemy  and  is  now  in  contact  with 
his  troops.  My  corps  will  reach  him  either  to-night 
or  early  to-morrow  morning — I fear  not  before  morn- 
ing, as  they  have  had  a long  march.  Griffin  is  close 
behind  me.  The  trains  have  just  passed  toward 
Farmville.  Respectfully,  John  Gibbon,  Major- 
General.” 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters,  April  8,  1865,  9.20  p.m. 
Lieut.  Gen.  U.  S.  Grant,  Commanding  Armies  of 
the  United  States  : General : I marched  early  this 
morning  from  Buffalo  Creek  and  Prospect  Station  on 
Appomattox  Station,  where  my  scouts  had  reported 
trains  of  cars  with  supplies  for  Lee’s  army.  A short 
time  before  dusk  General  Custer,  who  had  the  ad- 
vance, made  a dash  at  the  station,  capturing  four 


238 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


trains  of  supplies  with  locomotives.  One  of  the 
trains  was  burned  and  the  others  were  run  back 
toward  Farmville  for  security.  Custer  then  pushed 
on  toward  Appomattox  Court-House,  driving  the 
enemy,  who  kept  up  a heavy  fire  of  artillery,  charging 
them  repeatedly  and  capturing,  as  far  as  reported, 
twenty-five  pieces  of  artillery  and  a number  of  pris- 
oners and  wagons.  The  First  Cavalry  Division  sup- 
ported him  on  the  right.  A reconnaissance  sent 
across  the  Appomattox  reports  the  enemy  moving  on 
the  Cumberland  road  to  Appomattox  Station,  where 
they  expected  to  get  supplies.  Custer  is  still  pushing 
on.  If  General  Gibbon  and  the  Fifth  Corps  can  get  up 
to-night  we  will  perhaps  finish  the  job  in  the  morning. 
I do  not  think  Lee  means  to  surrender  until  compelled 
to  do  so.  Very  respectfully,  General,  your  obedient 
servant,  P.  H.  Sheridan,  Major-General,  U.  S.  Army 
Commanding.” 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters,  Appomattox  Depot,  April 
8,  1865.  The  troops  of  this  command  will  be 
formed  and  on  the  alert  at  4 a. m.  to-morrow.  By 
command  of  Major-General  Sheridan  : Jas.  W. 
Forsyth,  Chief  of  Staff." 

April  8,  1805. 

General  R.  E.  Lee.  General — Your  note  of  last  even- 
ing, in  reply  to  mine  of  same  date,  asking  the  condition 
on  which  I will  accept  the  surrender  of  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia,  is  just  received.  In  reply  I would 
say  that,  peace  being  my  great  desire,  there  is  hut  one 
condition  that  I would  insist  upon,  namely,  that  the 
men  and  officers  surrendered  shall  he  disqualified  for 
taking  up  arms  against  the  Government  of  the  United 
States  until  properly  exchanged.  I will  meet  you  or 
will  designate  officers  to  meet  any  officers  you  may 
name  for  the  same  purpose,  at  any  point  agreeable  to 
you,  for  the  purpose  af  arranging  definitely  the  terms 
upon  which  the  surrender  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Vir- 
ginia will  be  received. — U.  S.  Grant,  Lieutenant-Gen- 
eral. 

April  8,  1865. 

Lieut.  Gen.  U.  S.  Grant.  General — I received  at  a late 
hour  your  note  of  to-day.  In  mine  of  yesterday  I did 
not  intend  to  propose  the  surrender  of  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia,  hut  to  ask  the  terms  of  your  propo- 
sition. To  he  frank,  I do  not  think  the  emergency  has 
arisen  to  call  for  the  surrender  of  this  army;  but  as 
the  restoration  of  peace  should  be  the  sole  object  of 
all,  I desire  to  know  whether  your  proposals  would  lead 
to  that  end.  I cannot,  therefore,  meet  you  with  a view 
to  surrender  the  mArmy  of  Northern  Virginia,  but  as  far 
as  your  proposal  may  affect  the  C.  S.  forces  under  my 
command,  and  tend  to  the  restoration  of  peace,  I should 
he  pleased  to  meet  you  at  10  a.  m.  to-morrow,  on  the 
old  stage  road  to  Richmond  between  the  picket  lines 
of  the  two  armies. — R.  E.  Lee,  General. 


SHERIDANS  CAVALRY. 


239 


CHAPTER  X * 


Sunday,  April  9th— The  daybreak  in  fog. — Crook’s  difficult 
task. — The  opposing  lines. — The  enemy’s  final  advance.— Ar- 
rival of  infantry  line. — Sheridan’s  grand  charge  averted. — 
He  suspends  hostilities  by  request  of  Lee’s  generals.— The 
truce  formed  on  enemy’s  mis-statement. — Lee  not  “ in  con- 
ference ” with  Grant,  hut  at  last  offers  to  surrender  with- 
out negotiating. — The  scene  of  battle.— Communication  diffi- 
cult between  the  wings  of  Meade  and  Sheridan.— Latter 
fired  upon  during  the  truce.— The  last  shots. — A memorable 
despatch.— See  also  Chapter  XIII. 


Before  daylight,  the  next  morning,  the 
rubbish  which  encumbered  the  Lynchburg 
Pike  had  been  cleared  away  by  Custer’s  vet- 
erans ; and  the  bugles  awakened  the  weary 
troops  before  the  break  of  dawn.  All  were 
in  the  saddle,  fully  prepared  for  the  grand 
contest  anticipated.  The  unexpected  sight 
of  the  infantry,  too,  served  to  impress  the 
soldiers  with  the  belief  that  their  commanders 
deemed  hearty  work  to  be  before  them,  and 
the  extraordinary  march  accomplished  made 
the  infantry  earnest  of  success.  The  hos- 
tilities of  the  day  were  opened  by  the  Rebels 
in  an  attempt  to  dislodge  the  troops  at  the 
Lynchburg  Pike,  who  were  now  halting  Lee’s 
army.  f^jT°  There  has  been  quite  a popular 

* See  also  Chapter  XIII. 


240 


the  last  nouns  of 


impression  that,  on  the  morning  of  the  9th, 
seeing  the  difficulty  of  his  position,  Lee 
quietly  determined  to  surrender  without  an 
engagement,  and  acted  accordingly. 

This,  however,  is  a serious  error.  It  is 
true  that  some  of  his  most  prominent  subordi- 
nates believed  that  nothing  but  cavalry  was  in 
his  front,  and  that  a strong  attack  with  infan- 
try would  open  the  way  for  his  continued  re- 
treat. It  was  not  thought  that  the  Union 
infantry  could  possibly  have  marched  so  com- 
pletely around  the  Rebels,  and  it  was  confi- 
dently expected,  therefore,  that  the  line  in  the 
latter’s  front  toward  Lynchburg  might  be 
forced  early  in  the  morning,  before  succor 
could  arrive  from  the  infantry  corps  presumed 
to  be  marching  to  the  support  of  the  cavalry. 
At  an  interview  between  the  opposing  gen- 
erals, which  took  place  later  in  the  day, 
these  sentiments  were  acknowledged,  al- 
though there  were  one  or  two  Confederate 
generals  present  who  were  engaged  in  the 
battle  of  the  morning,  and  who  expressed  it 
as  their  opinion  at  the  time  that  our  infantry 
had  actually  arrived,  and  that  it  was  useless 
to  continue  further  hostilities.  It  was  a con- 
trary sentiment,  however,  which  induced  the 
battle  of  that  morning ; and  the  spirit  which 
seemed  to  animate  a considerable  portion  of 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


241 


the  Rebel  cavalry,  in  their  maneuvers  of  this 
day,  indicated  that  they  were  anticipating  an 
easy  success.  Under  these  circumstances  a 
determined  effort  was  made  at  dawn  to  break 
through  the  Union  cavalry  on  the  Lynch- 
burg road,  clear  the  country  in  that  direction 
and  open  a way  for  the  further  retreat  of  the 
Rebel  army.  Crook’s  Division,  having  been 
more  fortunate  than  any  other  part  of  the 
cavalry  corps  in  securing  a few  hours  rest 
during  the  night,  moved  from  its  bivouac  be- 
fore the  dawn,  and  by  sunrise  had  relieved 
the  troops  of  General  Devin  at  the  extreme 
front,  allowing  the  latter  to  move  off  toward 
the  railroad,  across  the  fields  and  woods  on 
the  right,  that  they  might  there  attend  to  their 
horses  and  prepare  for  the  work  of  the  day. 
But  the  enemy  was  already  alive.  The  fog 
of  the  morning  was  just  rising  from  the  open 
fields  over  which  his  movements  were  now 
obliged  to  be  made.  The  sharp  ring  of  car- 
bines greeted  the  rising  sun,  and  an  occasional 
discharge  of  artillery  [“  the  diapason  of  the 
cannonade,”]  harmonized  with  the  clamor, 
intensifying  a warlike  prelude  whose  sig- 
nificance at  this  early  hour  every  veteran 
appreciates. 

The  Union  infantry,  for  the  present,  re- 
mained near  Appomattox  Depot  to  obtain 
1 6 


242 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


some  slight  rest  and  refreshments,  and  the 
new  dispositions  of  cavalry  were  quickly 
made.  The  extreme  left,  or  the  whole  of  the 
care  of  the  Lynchburg  Pike,  was  now  left  to 
General  Crook,  McKenzie’s  command  being 
sent  to  support  him.  Merritt’s  Corps  re- 
organized, and  was  so  disposed  as  to  meet  any 
emergency  which  might  arise  on  the  right  of 
General  Crook,  and  to  protect  the  latter  from 
being  flanked  from  this  direction,  until  the  in- 
fantry of  the  Fifth  and  Twenty-fourth  Corps 
could  be  brought  up  into  a proper  position. 

Sheridan  himself  had  remained  at  his  head- 
quarters during  the  night,  near  Appomattox 
Depot,  where,  early  in  the  morning,  he  was 
able  to  consult  with  General  Ord  as  to  the 
prospective  labors  of  the  day.  The  task 
assigned  to  General  Crook  soon  proved  to  be 
of  no  little  importance  and  difficulty.  Smith’s 
(Third)  Brigade,  with  a section  of  Lord’s  ; 
Battery  (First  U.  S.  Artillery,)  supported 
by  J.  Irwin  Gregg’s  Brigade  (Second)  under 
Colonel  Young,  and  McKenzie’s  brigade 
of  cavalry  from  the  Army  of  the  James, 
were  posted  on  a rising  slope  across  the  road ; 
and,  while  attempting  to  repel  the  advances 
of  the  enemy  in  their  front,  also  essayed,  by 
patrols  and  detachments,  to  glean  all  possible 
information  regarding  their  movements  in 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


243 


other  quarters.  Davies’s  Brigade  was  sent  to 
the  north  and  west,  militarily  described  as  the 
left  and  rear,  to  give  speedy  warning  and  to 
cut  off  and  prevent,  if  possible,  any  movement 
indicating  an  attempt  of  the  Rebels  to  march, 
around  the  flank  of  those  now  confronting 
them.  All  of  these  commands  soon  became 
more  or  less  engaged;  some  of  them  quite 
seriously.  With  the  clear  sunrise,  advancing 
toward  Smith  across  the  open  fields,  came 
the  glittering  lines  of  battle,  with  colors 
plainly  flying.  Wot  far  behind  them  lay  the 
little  village  of  Appomattox  Court  House, 
surrounded  by  a most  beautiful  and  undulat- 
ing farming  country.  Just  out  of  sight,  be- 
yond, were  supposed  to  rest  the  remainder  of 
the  Rebel  army ; while  even  within  view  a 
few  wagons  and  a bivouac  fire  here  and  there 
appeared  as  a distant  feature  of  the  picture. 

The  Rebel  lines  of  infantry  seemed  not  to 
advance  with  that  mobility  and  elasticity 
which  usually  characterized  their  movements, 
and  the  number  of  colors  in  the  lines  was  re- 
markable. This  latter  fact  was  afterward 
explained  by  the  general  demoralization  of 
Lee’s  army,  which  was  already  so  great  that 
the  men  were  gathered  together  irrespective 
of  the  particular  command  to  which  they  may 
have  belonged  and,  as  if  by  military  instinct, 


244 


TllL  LAST  HOURS  OR 


they  grouped  themselves  under  the  nearest 
colors  convenient.  Officers  had  forborne  to 
insist  that  every  man  should  be  present  with 
his  own  regiment.  Many  commands  had  no 
representatives  and  men  were  collected  and 
marshaled  under  any  flag,  in  a manner  most 
unceremonious  and  expeditious.  The  troops 
in  front  of  Sheridan  consisted  chiefly  of 
Gordon’s  and  Longstreet’s  Corps  and  Fitz- 
hugh  Lee’s  cavalry.  [This  is  an  error. 
Longstreet’s  Corps  was  opposed  to  Hum- 
phreys’ combined  Second-Third  Corps,  in  the 
opposite  direction,  towards  the  east ; the  cav- 
alry were  to  the  west  of  the  Rebel  lines  and 
position.  Anchor.] 

The  direct  attack  on  Crook’s  front  was  not 
at  first  successful.  Some  sturdy  men  from 
Maine  were  there,  and  Smith’s  Brigade  were 
not  accustomed  to  retire  without  the  most 
serious  persuasion.  The  enemy  then  at- 
tempted to  outflank  Sheridan  by  sending  cav- 
alry completely  around  the  left  of  his  lines, 
with  a view  of  striking  the  pike  again  nearer 
Lynchburg;  and  then,  by  vigorously  attacking 
his  rear,  break  through  his  troops,  effect  a 
junction  with  Lee’s  main  body,  and  thus  open 
the  road  for  further  retreat.  In  making  this 
effort  Davies’s  Brigade  was  encountered,  and 
this  portion  of  the  field  being  more  wooded 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


245 


than  others,  afforded  the  latter  the  advantage 
of  concealing  his  real  strength,  which  was 
quite  small,  and  allowed  him  to  display  a 
force  at  whatever  point  circumstances  might 
require. 

Davies  established  a long  circular-shaped 
line,  extending  from  the  left  of  Smith 
around  again  to  the  pike,  which  he  was 
obliged  to  defend  against  any  movement  from 
the  direction  of  Lynchburg.  While  his  at- 
tention was  thus  occupied,  however,  the  fight- 
ing grew  louder  and  heavier  at  the  front. 
Warned  by  their  first  unsuccessful  attempt, 
the  enemy  were  now  making  a second  stronger 
attack,  directly  in  Crook’s  front. 

It  was  the  last  time  that  the  infantry  of  the 
Rebel  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  ever  ad- 
vanced upon  the  defenders  of  the  Union.  The 
latter  occupied  a well  chosen  position  over- 
looking the  whole  country,  over  which  their 
assailants  were  obliged  to  maneuver ; and, 
behind  hastily  constructed  rail  barricades  the 
Union  dismounted  carbineers,  with  four  light 
pieces  of  artillery,  held  out  manfully  against 
many  times  their  number.  But  the  Rebel 
lines  extended  much  beyond  ours,  both  to  the 
right  and  left.  Merritt’s  corps  had  not  yet 
gone  into  position  on  the  right  and  there 
was  imminent  danger  of  Crook’s  flanks  being 


246 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


turned.  The  Rebel  officers  could  be  seen  en- 
couraging tlieir  men  and  leading  them  on  in 
a manner  most  confident  and  valorous. 

The  country  to  the  right  of  Crook,  as  far  as 
the  railroad,  was  mostly  thickly  wooded  and 
had  afforded  a convenient  and  appropriate  lo- 
cation for  a considerable  number  of  his  extra 
horses.  dST ot  meeting  with  much  resistance  in 
this  quarter  among  these,  the  Rebels  soon 
made  their  appearance.  Our  men  [horse- 
holders,]  ran  off  the  animals  so  speedily  that 
few,  however,  were  lost.  About  the  same 
time  also  the  right  of  the  Rebel  line  of  infan- 
try overlapped  our  own  left  and  compelled  us 
to  retire,  while  the  direct  advance  pressed  up 
closely  to  the  overworked  guns.  The  ammu- 
nition, too,  was  giving  out.  The  brigades 
heretofore  held  in  reserve,  under  Colonel 
Young  and  General  McKenzie,  had  been  or- 
dered into  action,  respectively,  one  to  the  left 
and  the  other  to  the  right,  and  they  temporar- 
ily checked  the  enemy’s  advance.  The  gallant 
little  band  in  front,  however,  were  becoming 
unable  longer  to  protect  their  guns  and, 
finally,  sought  to  withdraw  them.  Many  of 
the  artillery  horses  had  been  killed.  Amid 
smoke  and  fire  and  the  whistle  of  bullets  the 
pieces  were  dragged  away,  but  one  of  them, 
becoming  stalled,  was  abandoned.  It  ivas  now 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


247 


an  unsuccessful  battle ; the  Rebels  had  par- 
tially dislodged  our  cavalry  and  were  pressing 
with  a force  strong  enough  to  complete  its  re- 
tirement. 

Nothing  appeared  to  prevent  their  entire 
occupation  of  the  coveted  highway ; and  while 
our  men  were  rallying,  a column  of  Rebel 
cavalry  approached  to  charge  the  road.  Of- 
ficers were  galloping  to  and  fro ; and  our 
men  were  wandering  about  to  find  their  com- 
panies ; no  lines  were  definitely  established, 
and  there  was  a lull  of  that  “ dread  clamor  ” 
of  glorious  Avar ; yet  all  was  hopeful  expecta- 
tion. It  was  knoAvn  that  the  infantry  were 
not  far  distant  and  it  must  not  be  long  be- 
fore they  would  arrive  on  the  ground.  It 
was  not  more  than  eight  o’clock  and  the  mist 
of  the  morning  had  hardly  cleared  away. 
The  air  Avas  thick  with  the  smoke  and  dust 
of  battle.  The  fresh  sunbeams  breaking 
through,  lifted  into  vieAV  the  Rebel  horsemen. 
SloAAdy  and  confidently  they  rode  in  solid 
column  toAvards  us.  Their  peculiar  cheers 
[yells]  broke  the  stillness  of  the  temporary 
lull  and  their  sabers  Ava\Ted  with  a joyful 
flourish.  There  seemed  to  be  a reneAval  of 
their  ancient  spirits.  They  had  passed  the 
spot  where  our  guns  this  morning  had  first 
opened  and  Avhere  the  Union  lines  had  given 


248 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


way.  The  way  seemed  clear  before  them  and 
the  road  to  Lynchburg  once  more  secured. 

But  joy  was  turned  to  grief.  The  sounds 
of  battle  had  not  fallen  unconcernedly  on  the 
troops  in  bivouac.  General  Ord’s  infantry 
had  already  started  from  Appomattox  Depot, 
and  with  scarce  an  hour  for  rest,  after  a night- 
long march,  were  hurrying  to  the  scene  of 
action.  Foster’s  Division  was  in  advance 
and  had  already  reached  the  Lynchburg  pike. 
Seeing  the  condition  of  affairs  a regiment  was 
at  once  formed  across  the  road  and  a second 
one  was  going  into  line  at  its  side.  The 
column  of  Rebel  cavalry  at  the  same  moment, 
by  a little  rise  in  the  road,  suddenly  dis- 
covered the  new  enemy  across  their  path. 
Blow  their  hearts  must  have  shrunk  with  bit- 
ter disappointment ! Hot  a shot  was  fired. 
The  officers,  plainly  visible,  riding  quietly  at 
the  head,  quickly  halted.  General  Foster  and 
staff  were  in  front  of  their  troops,  in  person 
directing  the  dispositions.  There  was  a mo- 
ment of  silent  suspense,  while  more  infantry 
hurried  at  double-quick  into  position.  A 
Rebel  officer  wheeled  and  gave  a brief  word  of 
command.  Sabers  fell,  cheers  ceased;  one, 
two,  three,  a dozen  shots  were  now  quickly 
exchanged.  A volley  followed  and  before  the 
smoke  could  clear  away  the  Rebel  cavalry  was 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


249 


gone,  and  the  lines  of  General  Foster  were 
sweeping  forward  in  close  pursuit.  Some 
colored  troops  appeared  on  the  field,  quickly 
assumed  their  positions,  and,  as  frequently 
happens  with  troops  when  brought  for  the  first 
time  into  action,  opened  a noisy  volley,  which 
was  not  without  its  effect  in  accelerating  the 
enemy’s  movements.  (This  cannot  be  con- 
strued into  a reflection  on  the  efficiency  of  the 
negro  troops ; it  is  an  occurrence  by  no  means 
unusual,  even  among  veteran  regiments. ) 

The  Rebel  infantry  was  soon  met  and  the 
firing  continued  with  renewed  vigor.  Fos- 
ter’s and  a part  of  Birney’s  (Colored)  Divi- 
sions were  about  to  become  seriously  engaged. 
All  was  activity  and  preparation.  Fresh 
artillery  was  going  into  position.  The  lines 
of  infantry  were  readjusted.  The  morning 
had  become  bright  and  clear,  and  on  the  open 
fields  now  before  the  Unionists  was  spread 
out  an  enemy  wdiose  complete  destruction  was 
most  imminent.  Seeing  their  danger  the 
Rebel  cavalry  again  attempted  to  move  around 
the  command  of  General  Davies  and  to  strike 
the  Lynchburg  road  beyond  him.  By  mak- 
ing a wide  detour,  they  were  finally  enabled 
to  accomplish  this  result,  though  not  without 
some  loss  in  wounded  and  prisoners,  caused  by 
the  constant  charges  of  Davies  on  their  flanks. 


250 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


Once  in  possession  of  a portion  of  the  Lynch- 
burg pike  they  proceeded  by  a dashing  charge 
to  break  through  Davies  and  overtake  the  rear 
of  the  forces  advancing  toward  Appomattox 
Court  House.  Ihit  this  attempt  was  unsuc- 
cessful. The  cavalry  under  McKenzie  and 
Colonel  Young,  which  by  this  time  had  re- 
formed without  serious  loss  and  which  had 
captured  from  the  enemy  during  the  short 
fight  several  stands  of  colors,  was  ordered  to 
reinforce  Davies,  and  the  latter  was  instructed 
to  whip  anything  he  could  find  worth  fighting 
and  then  hasten  to  join  in  a grand  charge 
on  the  enemy  at  Appomattox  Court  House. 

Meanwhile  Sheridan  had  formed  Devin  and 
Custer  on  the  slopes  of  the  hills  surrounding 
the  little  village,  for  an  impetuous  charge  on 
the  main  body  of  Lee’s  army,  which  now  ap- 
peared plainly  visible  on  the  hills  and  in  the 
valley  beyond. 

Meanwhile  the  Fifth  Corps,  which  had 
bivouacked  for  the  night  close  to  General 
Ord’s  command,  moved  forward  at  dawn  and 
marching  directly  across  the  country  from 
the  railroad,  about  six  o’clock  had  reached  the 
vicinity  of  Appomattox  Court  House.  Learn- 
ing through  Sheridan  that  a portion  of  the 
cavalry  was  heavily  engaged  and  hard  pressed, 
Ayres’  Division  was  pushed  forward  at  a 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


251 


double-quick,  two  Pennsylvania  regiments 
(the  190th  and  191st  Pennsylvania  Volun- 
teers,) armed  with  Spencer  rifles,  deployed 
as  skirmishers  and  the  main  part  of  the  divi- 
sion formed  at  once  in  two  lines  of  battle. 
General  Bartlett’s  (Pirst)  Division,  formed 
likewise  on  the  right  of  Ayres,  was  covered 
with  a heavy  skirmish  line  (155th  and  190th 
Pennsylvania  and  185th  Hew  York  Volun- 
teers.) Thus  disposed,  the  corps  moved  for- 
ward and  attacked  the  enemy 

At  the  same  time  Sheridan  had  formed  the 
two  divisions  of  Merritt’s  cavalry  corps,  under 
Devin  and  Custer,  to  the  right  of  the  infan- 
try (Fifth  Corps,)  on  the  slopes  of  the  hills 
to  the  westward  of  the  little  village  of  Appo- 
mattox Court  House,  for  a grand  simulta- 
neous charge  on  the  main  body  of  Lee’s  army, 
spread  out  before  them  on  the  fields  in  the 
valley  beyond. 

It  was  a thrilling  spectacle,  on  this  beauti- 
ful spring  morning,  to  witness  the  advancing 
lines  of  the  Union  grand  army.  All  its 
movements  were  now  in  fair  and  open  view 
and  could  be  taken  in  at  a glance.  The  troops 
here  may  be  said  to  have  constituted  one  wing 
of  Grant’s  army ; while  the  combined  Second- 
Third  and  the  Sixth  Corps,  following  directly 
in  the  rear  of  Lee  and  more  immediately  un- 


252 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


der  the  command  of  General  Meade  [so  to 
speak;  Humphreys  was  in  actual  command] 
may  properly  be  named  as  the  other.  (The 
Ninth  Corps  did  not  advance  beyond  Farm- 
ville  during  the  campaign.)  Sheridan  was 
the  leading  spirit  of  the  [west]  wing  now 
more  immediately  referred  to ; and  amid  the 
various  colors,  as  he  moved  rapidly  among 
the  troops,  followed  by  a group  of  horsemen, 
his  headquarter  pennant  * was  especially  dis- 
tinguishable. 

Custer’s  gay  color  was  likewise  conspicuous ; 
and,  while  the  attack  by  the  infantry  was 
progressing,  his  division  was  sweeping  along 
the  hills  and  forming  nearer  the  village  for  a 
charge  in  column  of  squadrons.  It  was  one 
grand  jubilee  of  warfare  ! The  sight  to  every 
soldier  was  inspiriting.  Advancing  lines  of 
battle  “ to  the  right  of  him  and  to  the  left  of 
him ; ” the  steel  glistening  in  the  morning 
sunlight ; hundreds  of  colors  proudly  waving 
along  the  lines;  the  eager  generals,  with  their 
staffs  and  escorts,  here  and  there  dotting  the 
fields ; the  artillery  rumbling  ponderously  by 
battery  front,  now  hurriedly  unlimbering  its 
guns  and  now  skilfully  limbering-up  again; 
aides  and  orderlies  dashing  gaily  over  the 

* Upon  the  cover  of  this  volume  may  be  seen  this 
flag,  represented  from  the  original. 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


253 


plain ; while  at  right  angles  to  the  grand  ad- 
vance, and  almost  within  sight  of  every  man, 
the  squadrons  of  cavalry  swept  along  the 
slopes  in  a style  peculiarly  attractive. 

It  was  about  nine  o’clock.  The  enemy,  no 
longer  able  to  maintain  the  semblance  of  or- 
ganized resistance,  retreating,  kept  a good  dis- 
tance beyond  our  advance.  But  retiring  di- 
rectly over  the  country  whence  they  came,  they 
must  soon  encounter  the  rest  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  under  General  Meade.  Who 
now  could  doubt  that  capture  or  annihilation 
was  before  them  ? The  panoramic  view  and 
the  moral  spectacle  of  this  morning  were  un- 
paralleled. 

Long  and  patiently  had  many  a weary  sol- 
dier waited  for  this  day.  Proud  and  haughty 
had  many  a noble-spirited  youth  felt  it  post- 
poned by  “ strategic  ” retreat.  Brave  and 
valiant  had  many  gallant  soldiers  found  their 
graves  in  fighting,  that  we  might  see  it. 
Hopeful  and  sincere  had  noble  women  prayed 
that  it  might  come.  Silent  and  obedient  the 
veterans  longed  for  it.  Industrious,  ener- 
getic, intelligent  and  faithful,  the  army  had 
worked  for  it.  Powerful  and  unyielding  the 
whole  nation  demanded  it.  Quiet  and  persis- 
tent the  Lieutenant-General  determined  it. 

A short  time  longer  and  this  pomp  and  cir- 


254 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


cumstance  of  battle  would  be  turned  to  com- 
bat and  slaughter.  Weary,  hungry,  defeated, 
pursued,  harassed,  surrounded,  the  Kebel 
“ Army  of  Northern  Virginia  ” was  helpless. 
When,  therefore,  its  further  defiance  was 
complete  destruction,  Captain  Simms,  of  Gen- 
eral Longstreet’s  staff,  hailed  General  Custer, 
bearing  a large  white  towel,  ashing,  in  the 
names  of  Generals  Lee  and  Longstreet,  a sus- 
pension of  hostilities. 

Colonel  Whittaker,  of  General  Custer’s 
staff,  was,  thereupon,  sent  with  Captain 
Simms  to  General  Longstreet,  to  reply  that 
General  Custer  was  not  in  chief  command, 
and  he  could  not,  therefore,  avert  his  impend- 
ing charge  without  the  announcement  of  un- 
conditional surrender.  General  Longstreet 
hoped  he  would  do  so,  and  replied  that  Grant 
and  Lee  were  in  “ conference,”  which  was  not 
the  fact.  General  Grant  did  not  reach  the 
field  until  afternoon  ; for,  under  his  own  hand, 
we  are  informed  that  at  11.50,  a.  m.,  on  that 
day,  he  was  “ about  four  miles  west  of 
Walker’s  Church,”  which  was  nearly  ten 
miles  distant. 

General  Custer,  however,  stayed  his  col- 
umn, and  quietly  sent  to  General  Sheridan 
information  of  the  state  of  affairs.  The  pre- 
caution was  taken,  also,  to  form  the  troops 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


255 


in  a defensive  attitude  with  carbines  at  a 
“ ready,”  to  be  prepared  for  any  emergency. 
Colonel  Wliittaker  also  carried  the  same  flag 
of  truce  to  our  infantry.  Their  advance  was 
halted,  and  neutral  ground  was  marked  out 
between  the  opposing  forces,  it  being  generally 
considered  that  the  surrender  was  virtual. 

When  Sheridan  received  Custer’s  message, 
he  rode  at  once  to  Appomattox  Court  House. 
On  approaching  this  place,  he  was  fired  into 
by  some  parties  of  the  enemy,  who,  doubtless, 
misconceived  his  staff  and  escort  to  be  an  ad- 
vance detachment  of  the  cavalry  whose  charge 
had  so  recently  been  averted.  It  is  miraculous 
that  among  so  large  a group  this  fire  was 
harmless,  while  it  is  equally  curious  that  men 
accustomed  to  distinguish  one  part  of  an  army 
from  another  should  have  mistaken  a general 
officer,  accompanied  by  his  staff,  color-bearer 
and  a few  orderlies,  riding  in  advance  of  well- 
defined  bodies  of  troops,  for  a charging 
squadron  of  cavalry.  Sheridan  was  about  to 
order  his  lines  instantly  forward  again;  hut 
the  mistake  (?)  was  soon  rectified. 

Soon  afterwards  he  met  Generals  Gordon, 
Wilcox,  Longstreet  and  others  of  the  Rebel 
service,  and,  at  their  request,  a suspension  of 
hostilities  was  agreed  upon,  pending  negotia- 
tions for  a surrender  then  said  to  he  progress- 


256 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


ing  between  Generals  Grant  and  Lee.  It 
seems  the  latter  had  expected  to  meet  General 
Grant  personally,  at  ten  o’clock  this  morning, 
“ on  the  Old  Stage  Road  to  Richmond,  be- 
tween the  picket  lines  of  the  two  armies.”  In 
the  same  note  in  which  this  was  stated,  and 
which  was  written  late  on  the  day  before  (8th) 
General  Lee  had  also  said  that,  “ to  he  frank, 
he  did  not  think  the  emergency  had  arisen  to 
call  for  a surrender .”  This  would  indicate 
that  he  thought  there  was  yet  a possibility  for 
the  escape  of  his  army,  which  opinion  he  cer- 
tainly could  not  have  entertained,  had  he  been 
acquainted  with  the  massed  and  speedy  move- 
ments of  Union  troops  marching  to  intercept 
and  to  occupy  the  only  route,  at  that  time, 
open  for  the  further  march  of  the  Rebel  army. 
Lee,  therefore,  desired  to  meet  General  Grant 
only  to  learn  whether  he  had  any  “ proposals 
that  would  tend  to  the  restoration  of  peace ! ” 
General  Grant  had  previously  informed  Gen- 
eral Lee  of  the  single  condition  upon  which 
a surrender  would  be  accepted,  and,  hence,  in 
a note  written  early  on  the  morning  of  the  9th, 
he  declined  to  meet  General  Lee.  So,  when 
the  latter  rode  out  towards  the  rear  of  his 
own  army,  the  next  morning,  to  see  General 
Grant  at  ten  o’clock,  as  he  had  supposed,  he 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY.  257 

there  received  this  note  of  Grant  last  re- 
ferred to. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark,  here,  that  no  propo- 
sition had  yet  been  made  by  Lee  for  the  sur- 
render of  his  army;  and  that,  about  the  very 
hour  now  spoken  of,  his  subordinates,  gen- 
erals in  front  of  Sheridan,  having  been  for 
several  hours  convinced  of  the  impractica- 
bility of  escape,  in  theie  own  name  re- 
quested the  suspension  of  hostilities.  While 
Lee  was  going  to  the  rear  for  the  purpose  of 
conferring  with  General  Grant  on  “ terms  of 
peace,”  his  troops  were  making  one  more  final 
effort  to  escape.  The  news  of  this  unsuccess- 
ful attempt  was  fresh  in  the  mind  of  Lee, 
when  he  learned,  on  the  picket  line,  that  the 
Lieutenant-General  had  declined  to  meet  him. 
If  was  then,  and  not  before,  that  Lee  again 
requested  an  interview,  with  direct  reference 
to  the  surrender  of  his  army.  Therefore,  be 
it  said  that  next  to  Lieutenant  General  Grant 
to  General  Sheridan,*  more  than  to  any  other 
one  man,  is  the  country  indebted  for  the 
speedy  and  complete  success  of  the  great 
“ Eleven  Days’  Campaign.” 

The  temporary  truce  being  agreed  upon, 
as  soon  as  assurance  was  given  that  a sur- 

*“  Anchor”  at  this  point  writes  in  “General 
Humphreys. 

17  ' 


258 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


render  was  intended,  and  of  which  there  could 
be  no  doubt,  General  Forsyth,  of  Sheridan’s 
staff,  was  sent  by  the  shortest  route,  directly 
through  the  enemy’s  camps,  to  inform  General 
Meade  of  the  truce  agreed  upon  in  this  part 
of  the  field.  The  infantry  and  cavalry,  under 
Generals  Ord  and  Sheridan,  rested  just  where 
they  had  halted  in  their  lines  on  the  sloping 
fields.  Before  them  lay  the  little  village,  and 
about  it  a confused  mass  of  troops  and 
wagons. 

Our  soldiers  strained  their  eyes  to  observe 
every  feature  of  the  scene.  They  sought  to 
observe  it  more  accurately,  and,  while  there 
was  naturally  among  them  some  vacant  curi- 
osity, there  were  more  speculative  whispers, 
or  else  a proud,  triumphant  silence.  The 
various  commanding  generals,  being  notified, 
repaired  without  delay  to  the  Court  House, 
which  remained  between  the  lines  of  the  two 
armies.  Here  were  soon  assembled : General 
Ord  (the  ranking  officer  of  this,  the  left  wing 
of  the  army,)  commander  of  the  Army  of  the 
James;  General  Gibbon,  commanding  the 
Twenty-fourth  Corps,  only  two  divisions  of 
which  were  in  this  campaign ; Generals  Fos- 
ter, Turner  and  Birney,  division  command- 
ers; General  Griffin,  commanding  Fifth 
Army  Corps;  Generals  [Crawford]  Ayers, 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


259 


Bartlett,  and  other  principal  general  officers 
from  the  Fifth  Corps;  General  Sheridan, 
commander  of  all  the  cavalry  and  of  such  in- 
f an  try  corps  as,  from  time  to  time,  might  be 
assigned  to  him ; Generals  Merritt,  Qrook 
and  the  other  principal  cavalry  generals 
whose  names  have  been,  heretofore,  so  fre- 
quently mentioned — being,  in  fact,  all  the 
chief  officers  of  the  wing  of  the  army  now 
under  Ord  and  Sheridan;  together  with  Gen- 
erals Longstreet,  Gordon,  “ Runy  ” Lee,  Wil- 
cox, and  a number  of  other  leading  generals 
of  the  enemy.  These  gentlemen  exchanged 
such  simple  courtesies  as  might  be  expected 
between  officers  of  rank  who  had  fought  in 
opposing  armies  through  many  campaigns, 
and  whose  troops  had,  as  a consequence,  come 
to  regard  each  other  with  no  little  respect. 

Indeed,  soldiers  as  well  as  officers  strike  a 
bond  of  sympathy,  as  between  brothers  in  a 
foreign  land,  when  unexpectedly  acquaint- 
ances are  formed  between  those  who  stood 
face  to  face  in  the  same  battle.  It  is  true, 
too,  that  the  veterans  of  either  army  habit- 
ually entertain  a higher  regard  for  the 
soldiers  of  the  other  than  they  do  for  those 
bombastic  patriots  whose  love  for  the  cause, 
be  it  good  or  bad,  has  been  expended  in  urging 
others  to  the  field  of  action.  If  we  were  to 


260 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


search  the  whole  country  for  the  elements  of 
the  Northern  and  the  Southern  population 
best  calculated  to  harmonize  in  the  great  work 
or  “ reconstruction,”  “ rehabilitation,”  “ re- 
generation,” “ restoration,”  or  by  whatever 
title  is  indicated  a general  fixing  up  of  our 
national  affairs,  we  should  he  most  success- 
ful by  bringing  together  the  old  soldiers  who 
fought  under  Lee,  and  the  sturdy  veterans  of 
the  old  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

About  twelve  o’clock,  when  the  head  of  his 
column  was  not  more  than  three  miles  from 
Appomattox  Court  House,  General  Meade  re- 
ceived a note  from  General  Lee,  requesting, 
for  the  present,  a suspension  of  hostilities ; 
and,  about  the  same  time,  General  Sheridan’s 
staff  officer  arrived  with  information  of  the 
state  of  affairs  on  the  other  side  of  the  enemy’s 
camp.  General  Meade  consented  to  a truce 
of  two  hours,  and  communicated  this  arrange- 
ment to  General  Grant.  The  combined  Sec- 
ond-Third Corps  had  the  advance  of  this  wing 
of  the  army,  but  had  not  been  able  to  begin 
the  day’s  march  before  eight  o’clock,  on  ac- 
count of  unavoidable  delay  in  receiving  and 
distributing  the  supplies  just  arrived.  A 
march  of  about  three  hours  was  made  before 
the  final  halt,  although  many  temporary  in- 
terruptions were  occasioned  by  the  passage 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY.  261 

across  the  advancing  line  of  the  communica- 
tions already  spoken  of. 

There  is  one  other  feature  of  the  military 
operations  of  the  day,  already  casually  re- 
ferred to,  which  deserves  mention  again,  as 
in  all  probability  representing  the  very  last 
contest  between  any  portions  of  these  two 
great  armies.  It  will  be  remembered  that, 
early  in  the  day,  shortly  after  the  infantry 
arrived  on  the  field,  Davies,  who  had  been 
defending  the  left  and  rear  of  Sheridan’s  or 
Ord’s  Aving  of  the  army,  was  ordered  to  en- 
gage all  the  Rebel  cavalry  he  could  find  and 
to  whip  them,  and  then  to  repair  to  Appo- 
mattox Court  House  for  further  service.  Ap- 
parently a good  force  of  the  enemy’s  cavalry 
had  succeeded  in  marching  toward  Lynch- 
burg around  the  flank  of  Sheridan’s  position, 
and  these  troops  it  Avas  designed  to  defeat 
contemporaneously  with  the  first  flag  of  truce 
to  Custer ; they  Avere  stationed  across  the 
Lynchburg  pike  and  DaAnes  A\ras  disposing  his 
troops  to  charge  them. 

The  country  Avas  quite  broken  and  trouble- 
some fences  interA’ened.  Before  Ave  were  pre- 
pared to  advance,  the  Rebel  cavalry  made  an 
impetuous  attempt  to  break  through  our  lines ; 
but  they  Avere  beaten  back  by  Davies’  brigade. 
A second  charge  met  Avith  the  same  success, 


202 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


while  by  this  time  General  McKenzie  and 
Colonel  Young  had  arrived,  each  with  a brig- 
ade from  a different  part  of  the  field,  and 
were  ready  for  the  fresh  and  exciting  task 
just  assigned  them. 

The  soldiers  had  learned  of  the  grand  ad- 
vance, and  success  contemporaneously  pro- 
gressing in  that  part  of  the  field  nearer  Appo- 
mattox Court  House,  and  evinced  a laudable 
desire  of  emulation.  Skirmishing  was  brisk ; 
many  of  the  fences  had  been  leveled.  “ To 
horse ! ” sounded ; battalions  and  squadrons 
disposed  for  a charge,  according  to  the  nature 
of  the  ground,  and  all  was  ready  for  a fight. 
It  was  to  be  successf  ul ; everybody  said  so  and 
felt  so  ; and  then  there  was  to  be  a grand  pur- 
suit which  might  take  the  pursuers  half-way 
or  even  as  far  as  Lynchburg  itself.  It  was 
to  be  more,  too,  than  a simple  success.  It  was 
to  destroy  the  Kebel  cavalry  force  in  front, 
known  to  be  a portion  of  Fitzhugh  Lee’s  Divi- 
sion. This  was  the  work  in  hand. 

It  was  just  at  this  critical  moment,  when 
a short  time  longer  would  have  made  it  im- 
possible, quickly,  to  stop  the  fight,  that  an 
aide  * arrived  from  the  Court  House  other 
[East]  front,  bringing  the  startling  but  wel- 


* The  Writer. 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


263 


come  intelligence  that  hostilities  were  sus- 
pended ; that  Grant  and  Lee  were  holding 
negotiations  for  a surrender ! 

I said  welcome  intelligence.  But  there 
were  some  among  these  troops  who  were  anx- 
ious to  witness  a real  enthusiastic  success. 
It  had  been  the  good  fortune  of  most  of  them 
to  have  had  experience  of  many  battles,  but 
to  have  participated  in  few  or  none  where  the 
opposing  forces  were  comparatively  annihi- 
lated. Now  total  destruction  only  was  being 
anticipated. 

But  orders  for  the  truce  arrived  and  the 
charge  was  averted.  Hot,  however,  until 
some  time  after  the  general  cessation  of  hos- 
tilities along  the  main  lines  of  the  army.  So 
that  there  could  he  no  doubt  that  the  last  hos- 
tile shots  between  the  “ Army  of  Northern 
Virginia  ” and  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  were 
exchanged  by  the  cavalry  of  whom  we  now 
speak. 

As  to  what  particular  regiment  fired  the 
last  bullet,  that  is  most  difficult  to  say.* 

* Note  : The  great  war  Secretary  at  the  close  of  this  memor- 
able day  thanked  General  Grant  and  his  army  in  the  following 
words : 

“War  Department  Washington  April  9,  1865 — 9.30 
p.m.  Lieutenant-General  Grant : Thanks  be  to  Al- 
mighty God  for  the  great  victory  with  which  he  has 
this  day  crowned  you  and  the  gallant  army  under 
your  command.  The  thanks  of  this  Department  and 


264  THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


of  the  Government,  and  of  the  people  of  the  United 
States,  their  reverence  and  honor,  have  been  deserved 
and  will  be  rendered  to  you  and  the  brave  and  gallant 
officers  and  soldiers  of  your  army  for  all  time.* 

Edwin  M.  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War.” 

For  further  paragraphs  about  the  ninth  of  April  see  Chapter 
XIII.  of  this  book. 

* The  Exaltation  of  War. 

General  John  B.  Gordon,  speaking  of  bis  feelings  at  Appo- 
mattox, says  they  were  “ terrible  ; beyond  the  tongue  of  man 
to  express.  I shall  never  be  the  same  man  I was  during  the 
years  of  the  war.  The  presence  of  danger,  the  excitement  of 
battle,  the  sense  of  duty  to  discharge,  the  consciousness  of 
duty  performed,  exalts  manhood  above  the  ordinary  mortals. 
I was  lifted  to  the  skies  ; I walked  on  the  clouds ; I was  a being 
entirely  different  from  what  I am  now.  The  gloom  that  fell  on 
me  after  the  surrender,  the  day  of  Appomattox,  was  unutter- 
able. The  sun  seemed  blotted  out  of  the  skies.  There  was  no 
future,  no  hope,  no  opening  in  the  great  bank  of  darkness 
before  me  ; but  this  feeling  began  to  give  way  with  the  charge 
and  responsibility  of  my  looking  after  my  men  and  cheering 
them.  I never  saw  a finer  line  cf  battle  or  a more  magnificent 
charge  than  when  my  men  swept  forward  to  charge  Sheridan’s 
soldiers,  taking  the  last  gun  captured  in  the  war.  When  the 
word  came  that  our  general  had  surrendered  men  seemed 
paralyzed.  Some  stood  as  if  dazed.  They  could  not  realize 
tnat  all  was  lost.  I passed  along  the  line  and  saw  old  bronzed 
veterans  weeping  like  children.  Some  tore  the  flags  from  their 
standards  and  hid  them  in  their  bosoms.  Many  conversed  in 
sorrowful  groups,  but  most  of  them  were  silent  and  speechless 
and  seemed  to  be  speculating  on  the  uncertainties  of  the 
future.  The  light  began  to  dawn  when  the  officers  of  both 
armies,  myself  among  the  number,  met  to  arrange  the  terms 
of  the  surrender.  General  Grant’s  order  that  we  might 
retain  our  side  arms  and  drive  our  horses  home,  renewed 
hope.” — Washington  Critic. 

[The  foregoing  extract  is  from  an  issue  dated  August  28th, 
1885,  of  the  New  York  Commercial  Advertiser.] 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


265 


CHAPTER  XI.* 


Monday,  April  10th. — Away  from  the  battlefield.— Lee's  army 
dispersing  before  the  parol — Lee’s  farewell  to  his  army. — 
How  Grant  escaped  assassination. — News  of  Lincoln’s  fate. — 
The  cavalry  returning  to  Petersburg.— Incidents. — Precau- 
tions and  preparations. — The  new  expedition. — The  cavalry 
start  for  North  Carolina. — Bridge  making. — The  scouts. — The 
new  region. — News  of  Johnston’s  surrender  to  Sherman. — 
Crook  had  reached  North  Carolina  soil. — The  return  march 
to  Richmond  and  to 'Washington. — Homeward  bound. — Notes, 
and  some  dispatches. 

Tile  next  morning  Sheridan’s  Cavalry  was 
early  on  the  move,  and  marched  through  the 
bivouacs  of  the  army  en  route  again  to  Peters- 
burg. There  was  not  a little  disappointment 
in  many  quarters  that  no  opportunity  was 
given  the  victorious  soldiers  to  observe  more 
closely  the  men  and  officers  of  Lee’s  army. 
Thousands  expressed  their  dissatisfaction  at 
the  unprecedented  liberality  granted  to  the 
Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  and  at  the  man- 
ner in  which  it  was  allowed  to  disperse.  Our 
soldiers  did  not  cherish  any  spirit  of  revenge, 
nor  any  desire  to  see  brave  men  humiliated ; 
but  there  was  a most  natural  anxiety  on  their 
part  to  catch  an  interior  view  of  the  remnants 

* See  notes  at  end  of  this  chapter  XI. 


2G6 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


of  the  Rebel  forces,  or  to  witness  a formal  sur- 
render of  the  veteran  host  which  they  had  so 
long  confronted  on  the  field  of  deadly  strife. 

The  two  armies  lay  hidden  from  each  other, 
and  while  some  of  our  men  straggled  within 
the  enemy’s  lines  for  a coveted  glimpse  of  the 
combined  strength  of  Lee’s  army,  the  weary 
and  destitute  soldiers  of  the  latter  visited  our 
camps  and  gratefully  shared  our  soldiers’  ra- 
tions. The  woods  were  filled  with  those  who, 
not  yet  paroled,  were  availing  themselves  of 
the  permission  “ to  go  where  they  pleased.” 

There  was,  too,  not  a little  chagrin  in  some 
quarters  that  Pickett  and  other  officers  of 
distinction  who  were  deserters  from  the 
United  States  service  at  the  outbreak  of  the 
war,  should  be  allowed  the  same  generous 
terms  accorded  to  the  others.  But  there  was, 
notwithstanding,  a quiet  acquiescence  in  the 
final  settlement  which  said,  in  the  plainest 
terms : “ Well,  I guess,  Grant  is  right  after 
all ! ” The  disposition  to  murmur  soon  died 
away  and  was  speedily  swallowed  up  in 
the  joy  of  victory.  [American  patience! 
Anchor.] 

The  infantry  corps  remained  near  Appo- 
mattox Court  House  a day  or  two  for  rest, 
but  the  cavalry,  being  in  need  of  forage, 
marched  from  the  memorable  field  without 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


267 


an  hour’s  delay.  The  news  of  the  surrender 
was  received  by  the  whole  army  with  quiet 
enthusiasm — if  such  a term  be  proper.  An 
unfeigned  pleasure  possessed  every  heart,  but 
the  victory  [to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac]  was 
without  one-tenth  part  of  that  exaltation 
and  sensation  with  which  it  inspired  the 
North.  There  was  among  the  soldiers  an 
inexplainable  feeling  of  wonder  at  what 
would  come  next.  [Just  my  sensation  at  the 
time,  inserted  the  copyist,  a conscript  who 
served  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley  and  else- 
where. Axchok.]  There  was  scarcely  a 
single  instance  of  that  wild  fervor  which 
assembled  the  thrift  and  intelligence  of  Wall 
Street  around  the  steps  of  the  Custom  House 
and  gave  the  key  to  that  grand  chorus  of 
voices  which,  at  midday,  and  at  the  busy  ex- 
change, swelled  in  unison  thousands  of  voices 
in  praising  “ God  from  whom  all  blessings 
flow.”  Not  that  any  soldier  failed  to  ap- 
preciate the  great  success,  hut  the  habitual 
quiet  acceptance  of  facts  as  they  are,  sur- 
rounded every  proud  member  of  the  victorious 
army  with  an  halo  of  dignified  reserve. 

As  to  the  number  of  men  actually  surrend- 
ered, accounts  have  much  differed.  It  has 
been,  however,  authoritatively  stated  recent- 
ly, that  “ from  the  rolls  in  possession  of  the 


268 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


government,  General  Lee’s  army,  when  it 
surrendered,  contained  28,000  men  [this  is  a 
very  low  estimate]  and  General  Johnson’s 
37,000.”  [Associated  Press  dispatch  from 
Washington.]  The  number  actually  paroled 
at  Appomattox  by  General  Sharpe,  of  General 
Grant’s  staff  was  a trifle  over  26,000. 

A low  estimate  of  the  strength  of  the  Army 
of  Northern  Virginia  when  the  campaign 
opened  [pursuit  commenced,]  places  it  “ be- 
tween 40,000  and  50,000  ” — perhaps  nearer 
the  latter;  that  it  lost  over  10,000  men  in 
killed  and  wounded;  over  20,000  in  prisoners 
and  deserters,  including  those  taken  in  battle 
and  those  picked  up  in  the  pursuit.  The 
actual  number  of  muskets  surrendered,  how- 
ever, was  not  over  8,000  or  10,000,  although 
more  than  twice  that  number  of  men  were 
present.  This,  however,  included  teamsters, 
hospital  and  quartermaster’s  employees  and 
other  non-combatants,  while  many  of  the  sol- 
diers had  no  arms.  At  any  rate  the  available 
fighting  force  at  the  time  of  the  surrender 
is  a matter  of  conjecture  rather  than  of  of- 
ficial report.  [See  Anchor’s  figures  in  Ap- 
pendix I.  of  this  volume,  pages,  465,  469, 
476,  477,  etc.] 

The  total  amount  of  artillery  captured 
during  the  battles  and  pursuit  amounted  to 
about  170  guns.  As  to  the  number  of  wag- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


269 


ons  taken  and  destroyed,  the  only  possible 
method  of  arriving  at  any  accurate  calculation 
is  to  ascertain  from  General  Lee,  or  his  re- 
sponsible officer,  the  number  which  started 
with  his  army  from  Richmond  and  Peters- 
burg, and,  deducting  therefrom  the  200  or  250 
wagons  surrendered,  we  have  the  immense 
number  previously  destroyed  or  captured  by 
our  troops.  The  Rebel  trains  during  this 
movement  were  large  and  cumbersome,  and 
the  animals  were  in  bad  condition  and  over- 
worked. Had  Lee  chosen  to  have  abandoned 
all  his  trains,  his  chances  of  escape,  in  several 
instances,  would  have  been  excellent.  [Editor 
always  said  this,  in  conversation,  communica- 
tion and  print.  Anchor.] 

In  the  agreement  for  surrender  the  officers 
gave  their  own  parole  for  the  men  within  their 
command.  The  following  form  of  the  per- 
sonal parole  of  officers  is  taken  from  that 
given  by  General  Lee  and  a portion  of  his 
staff : 

“ We,  the  undersigned,  prisoners  of  war 
belonging  to  the  Army  of  Northern  Vir- 
ginia, having  been  this  day  surrendered  by 
General  R.  E.  Lee,  commanding  said  army, 
to  Lieutenant-General  Grant,  commanding 
the  Armies  of  the  Lmited  States,  do  hereby 
give  our  solemn  parole  of  honor  that  we  will 


270 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


not  hereafter  serve  in  the  armies  of  the  Con- 
federate States,  or  in  any  military  capacitj' 
whatever,  against  the  United  States  of 
America,  or  render  aid  to  the  enemies  of  the 
latter,  until  properly  exchanged  in  such  man- 
ner as  shall  be  mutually  approved  by  the  re- 
spective authorities. 

R.  E.  Lee,  General. 

W.  H.  Tayeor,  Lieut.-Col.  and  A.  A.  G. 
Chas.  S.  Venable,  Lieut.-Col.  and  A.  A.  G. 
Chas.  Marshall,  Lieut.-Col.  and  A.  A.  G. 

H.  E.  Praton,  Lieut.-Col.  and  Ins.-Gen. 
Giles  Booke,  Major  and  A.  A.  Surgeon-Gen. 
H.  S.  Young,  A.  A.  G. 

“ Done  at  Appomattox  Court  Llouse,  Va., 
this  ninth  (9th)  day  of  April,  1865.” 

The  above  parole  is  the  same  given  by  all 
officers,  and  is  countersigned  as  follows  : 

“ The  above-named  officers  will  not  be  dis- 
turbed by  United  States  authorities  as  long  as 
they  observe  their  parole,  and  the  laws  in 
force  where  they  may  reside. 

George  H.  Sharpe, 

Gen.  Asst.  Provost-Marshal.” 

The  obligation  of  officers  for  the  subdivi- 
sions under  their  command  is  in  form  as 
follows : 

“ I,  the  undersigned,  commanding  officer 


S HE  RID  AN  \S  CA  VALR  Y. 


271 


of , do,  for  the  within-named  prisoners 

of  war,  belonging  to  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia,  who  have  been  this  day  surrendered 
by  General  Robert  E.  Lee,  Confederate  States 
Army,  commanding  said  army,  to  Lieutenant- 
General  Grant,  commanding  Armies  of  the 
United  States,  hereby  give  my  solemn  parole 
of  honor  that  the  within-named  shall  not  here- 
after serve  in  the  Armies  of  the  Confederate 
States,  or  in  military,  or  any  capacity  what- 
ever, against  the  United  States  of  America, 
or  render  aid  to  the  enemies  of  the  latter, 
until  properly  exchanged  in  such  manner  as 
shall  be  mutually  approved  by  the  respective 
authorities. 

“ Done  at  Appomattox  Court  House,  Vir- 
ginia, this  9th  day  of  April,  1865.” 

“ The  within-named  will  not  be  disturbed 
by  the  United  States  authorities  so  long  as 
they  observe  their  parole  and  the  laws  in  force 
where  they  may  reside.” 

On  the  tenth  of  April  Lee  published  his 
farewell  to  his  army. 

General  Lee's  Fake  well  to  liis  Aemy. 

Headquarters  Army  Northern  Virginia. 

April  10,  1865. 

General  Order  ISTo.  9. — After  four  years 


272 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


of  arduous  service,  marked  by  unsurpassed 
courage  and  fortitude,  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia  has  been  compelled  to  yield  to 
overwhelming;  numbers  and  resources.  I need 
not  tell  the  survivors  of  so  many  hard-fought 
battles,  who  have  remained  steadfast  to  the 
last,  that  I have  consented  to  this  result  from 
no  distrust  of  them.  But  feeling  that  valor 
and  devotion  could  accomplish  nothing  that 
could  compensate  for  the  loss  that  may  have 
attended  the  continuation  of  the  contest,  I 
determined  to  avoid  the  useless  sacrifice  of 
those  whose  past  services  have  endeared  them 
to  their  countrymen. 

By  the  terms  of  the  agreement  officers  and 
men  can  return  to  their  homes  and  remain 
there  until  exchanged.  You  will  take  with 
you  the  satisfaction  that  proceeds  from  the 
consciousness  of  duty  faithfully  performed, 
and  I earnestly  pray  that  a merciful  God  will 
extend  you  his  blessing  and  protection.  With 
an  increasing  admiration  of  your  constancy 
and  devotion  to  your  country,  and  a grateful 
remembrance  of  your  kind  and  generous  con- 
sideration of  myself,  I bid  you  an  affec- 
tionate farewell. 

(Signed)  R.  E.  Lee, 

General. 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


273- 


To  Brevet  Major-General  Merritt  was 
assigned  the  duty  of  paroling  the  Rebel  cav- 
alry, and,  after  completing  his  work,  he  re- 
joined his  command  at  ISTottoway  [Court 
House]  on  the  15th  April,  1865.  On  the  road 
thither  he  met  Gen.  W.  IT.  F.  Lee  and  staff, 
coming  in  to  surrender,  their  men  having 
ahnost  entirely  deserted  them. 

A correspondent  of  the  daily  press  shrewdly 
remarked,  concerning  the  general  surrender : 
“ The  Rebel  army  laid  down  their  arms  by 
brigades,  hut  an  officer  remarked  that  a large 
number  of  men  appeared  without  arms  of  any 
kind  * * * * It  was  noticed  also 

that  all  the  good  horses  in  Lee’s  army  were 
private  property.  General  Gordon’s  private 
baggage  is  said  to  have  filled  four  or  five 
army  wagons  which  were  furnished  to  take  it 
away.”  (Which  fact,  the  author  [H.  E.  T.] 
thinks,  is  quite  doubtful.) 

In  a volume  entitled  “ The  Fourth  Year  of 
the  War,”  written  in  the  interest  of  the  South 
by  Pollard,  and  whose  author  is  not  famous 
for  reliability,  Lee’s  surrender  is  thus  spoken 
of : 

“ There  can  be  no  doubt  in  history  that 
Gen.  Lee,  in  taking  his  army  away  from  Rich- 
mond and  Petersburg,  had  decided,  in  his  own 
mind,  upon  the  hopelessness  of  the  war,  and 
IS 


274 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


had  predetermined  its  surrender.  The  most 
striking  proof  of  this  is,  that  on  his  retreat 
there  was  no  order  published  against  strag- 
gling— a thing  unprecedented  in  all  deliber- 
ate and  strategic  retreats — and  nothing  what- 
ever done  to  maintain  discipline.  The  men 
were  not  animated  by  the  style  of  general 
orders  usual  on  such  occasions.  They  strag- 
gled and  deserted  almost  at  will.  An  idea 
ran  through  the  Virginia  troops  that,  with  the 
abandonment  of  Richmond,  the  war  was  hope- 
less, and  that  they  would  be  justified  in  re- 
fusing to  fight  outside  the  limits  of  their 
State.  Nothing  was  done  to  check  the 
notorious  circulation  of  this  notion  in  the 
army.  The  Virginia  troops  scattered  off  to 
their  homes  at  almost  every  mile  of  the  route. 
We  have  seen  that  Pickett  was  left  with  onl}T  a 
handful  of  men.  [ Note. — Sheridan  can  also 
tell  why  1 Pickett  was  left  with  only  a hand- 
ful of  men.’  IT.  E.  T.]  Some  of  the  brig- 
ade commanders  had  not  hesitated  to  advise 
their  men  that  the  war  was  virtually  over,  and 
that  they  had  better  go  home  and  ‘ make 
crops.’ 

“ But  there  are  other  proofs,  besides  the 
omission  of  the  measures  against  straggling 
usual  on  retreats,  that  General  Lee  had 
prevised  a surrender  of  his  army.  Tie  carried 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


275 


off  from  Petersburg  and  Richmond  all  the 
transportation  of  his  army,  sufficient,  perhaps, 
for  one  hundred  thousand  men — certainly 
largely  in  excess  of  the  actual  needs  of  the  re- 
treat. The  excessive  number  of  Virginia 
troops  who  were  permitted  to  drop  out  of  the 
ranks  and  return  to  their  homes  shows  very 
well  that  there  was  no  firm  purpose  to  carry 
the  war  out  of  the  limits  of  that  State.  Pris- 
oners taken  on  the  retreat  invariably  reported 
that  the  army  was  soon  to  be  halted  for  a 
surrender ; and  General  Custis  Lee,  when 
captured  by  the  enemy,  is  alleged  to  have 
made  the  same  revelation  of  his  father’s 
designs.” 

The  return  march  of  Sheridan’s  cavalry  * 
was  continued,  without  any  special  interest, 
towards  Burkesville,  and,  except  at  nights, 
no  halts  were  made  until  the  column  arrived 
at  Nottoway  Court  House,  a little  station  on 
the  Southside  railroad  and  the  county-seat, 
as  its  name  implies.  Here  the  command  ex- 
pected to  recuperate. 

General  Grant  had  hastened  to  Petersburg 
and  thence  to  Washington,  for  conference  as 
to  the  future.  While  North,  he  took  occasion 
to  make  a flying  visit  to  his  family  and  thus 


* See  note  (a)  at  end  of  this  Chapter. 


276 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


narrowly  escaped  the  blow  of  the  assassin  pre- 
pared for  him.  Not  so  with  the  lamented 
Lincoln.  The  crowning  martyr  to  a glori- 
ous, but  tedious  though  successful  war,  he 
had  shared  its  trials  and  hardships,  had 
watched  its  struggles  with  paternal  care,  had 
guided  its  issues.  The  vicissitudes  of  the 
contest  had  educed  his  wisdom  and  the  bloody 
scenes  of  this  national  drama  were  closed  with 
the  vile  and  mournful  tragedy  of  his  death. 

It  had  been  a warm  spring  day.  The  camps 
were  basking  in  the  sun.  The  soldiers  lolled 
carelessly  about,  or  built  little  fires  and 
washed  their  clothes  along  the  banks  of  the 
Nottoway.  In  the  absence  of  the  blacksmith 
they  tinkered  at  a loose  horseshoe  or  burnished 
a cherished  carbine,  polished  an  honored 
saber,  wiped  Virginia  mud  from  equipments, 
patched  a dilapidated  bridle,  or  straggled  out 
of  camp  in  search  of  chickens,  horses  and  other 
good  things,  or  amused  themselves  with  divers 
employments  congenial  to  the  modern  dis- 
ciples of  Mars.  More  than  an  ordinary 
halt  in  the  march,  it  was  one  of  those  well- 
defined  periods  in  a campaign  whence  each 
one  dates  a fresh  experience,  a “ landmark  ” 
of  time  about  which  to  group  facts  of  history. 
It  was  really  the  first  calm  after  the  storm, 
the  first  resting  spell  which  the  cavalry  had 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


277 


enjoyed  since  leaving  Petersburg  to  begin  tbe 
grand  advance  of  this  spring  campaign,  and 
a convenient  opportunity  to  review  the  event- 
ful doings  of  the  past  ten  days.  Soldiers  only 
can  appreciate  these  periods. 

Martial  music  appropriately  toned  tbe 
evening  scenes  and  the  bands  had  concluded 
their  indifferent  attempts.  There  was  no 
moon,  the  stars  were  shining  brightly.  A 
cheerful  rail  fire  broke  the  night  chill  and 
crackled  merrily  on  the  neat  grass  plot  of  an 
old  dooryard,  fitfully  lighting  into  view  the 
background  of  white  folds  of  open  and  invit- 
ing tents.  A group  of  officers  lazily  reclined 
in  Turkish  postures  on  blankets  and  overcoats, 
smoking,  recounting  experiences  and  chatting 
over  the  scenes  of  the  past  two  weeks  as  only 
such  groups  can  talk.  The  virtues  of  the 
slain  were  feelingly  narrated,  the  successes 
of  the  living  freely  discussed.  There  was  a 
sense  of  relief,  freedom  from  care,  an  appre- 
ciation of  the  absence  of  all  possible  alarm,  a 
quiet  contentment  that  nothing  was  likely  to 
disturb,  and  a general  relish  of  security  and 
peace.  Mot  only  was  the  campaign  ended, 
but  the  conclusion  of  the  war  seemed  now 
inevitable.  The  serenity  and  quiet  of  the 
evening  was  only  broken  by  the  soft  notes  of 
the  bugles  as  the  night  breeze  wafted  their 


278  THE  last  hours  of 

musical  “ tattoo.”  Comfort  and  contentment 
were  reigning  supreme. 

The  spurs  and  saber  of  an  officer  on  duty 
suddenly  rattled  by  the  group. 

“ What’s  your  hurry  ? ” says  one,  making 
room  for  another  in  the  little  circle. 

“ Bad  news  to-night,  boys,”  briefly  answers 
the  aide,  as  he  hurries  by  towards  the  gen- 
eral’s quarters. 

“ What  is  it  ? What  is  it  ? ” is  eagerly 
asked,  and  the  whispering  reply  is  caught: 

“The  President  is  Assassinated!” 

Who  believed  it  ? Each  man  sought  an 
explanation  in  the  amazed  and  saddened 
countenance  of  his  neighbor.  Who  dared 
repeat  the  message  ? Did  you  understand 
him  correctly  ? There  must  be  some  mistake. 
Silent  and  contemplative  faces  waited  around 
that  camp-fire.  Presently  the  aide  reap- 
peared. He  explained,  reading  a brief  dis- 
patch from  the  War  Department  (from  Major 
Eckhart)  to  General  Meade,  who  in  turn  had 
sent  it  from  Burkesville  to  General  Sheridan. 
It  announced  that  President  Lincoln  had 
been  Assassinated  at  Ford’s  Theater;  he 
was  insensible  and  would  not  likely  recover. 

Verily  was  a pall  cast  over  the  nation,  as 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


279 


on  the  nest  morning  (April  16th)  after  this 
tragic  deed,  men  of  one  accord  closed  their 
places  of  business,  and,  instead  of  celebrating 
the  nuptials  of  a re-united  people,  felt  that 
the  country  was  turned  into  a house  of  mourn- 
ing. But  the  silent  anger  and  grievous  sad- 
ness in  the  army ! Who  will  depict  it  ? 
Every  soldier  felt  the  loss  of  a personal 
friend ! 

Bevenge  and  retribution  found  no  little 
favor  among  many  natures ; sadness  was  in 
all.  “ ’ Twas  well,”  said  one,  “ that  this  did 
not  happen  before  the  surrender  of  General 
Lee  ! ” and  the  significant  sentiment  met  with 
a deep  response.  The  soldiers  gathered  in 
groups,  discussing  the  subject  in  a subdued 
and  reverential  manner.  Strong  and  hardy 
men,  commanders,  too,  of  others,  bent  in  tears 
among  their  comrades.  Who  shall  tell  the 
stories  of  the  next  day  as  the  sad  neAvs  floated 
through  the  camps  ? The  army  wept ! 

[Anchor  says  : “ There  was  one  man  in  the 
army  of  the  Potomac  who  saw  all  this  clearly, 
and  spoke  out  in  trumpet  tones — -Major-Gen- 
eral Horatio  G.  Wright.  He  has  not  been 
mentioned  in  the  course  of  the  Third  Corps 
biography  more  than  was  indispensably  neces- 
sary, because  the  writer  was  desirous  of  avoid- 
ing any  side  issues,  but  by  no  means  because 


2S0 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


the  noble  commander  of  the  Sixth  Corps  was 
not  fully  appreciated.  Were  it  necessary  to 
cite  proofs  of  the  nobility  of  soul  possessed  by 
the  “ Burster  into  Petersburgh,”  one  would 
be  almost  sufficient  to  demonstrate  the  man, 
viz.,  his  dispatch  to  Maj.-Gen.  A.  S.  Webb, 
Chief  of  Staff,  Army  of  the  Potomac,  of  the 
15th  April,  1865,  in  connection  with  the 
death  of  Lincoln : 

“ Headquarters  Sixth  Army  Corps. 

April  15th,  1865. 

Major-General  Webb,  Chief  of  Staff: 

With  deepest  sorrow  the  dispatch,  announc- 
ing the  assassination  of  the  President  of  the 
United  States  and  the  Secretary  and  Assist- 
ant-Secretary of  State,  is  received,  and  I 
advise  that  every  officer  of  the  Rebel  army 
within  control  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  be 
at  once  closely  confined,  with  a view  to  retalia- 
tion upon  their  persons  for  so  horrible  an  out- 
rage. 

Id.  G.  Wright,  M aj or-General.”~\ 
The  march  of  the  cavalry  towards  Peters- 
burg was  resumed  and  continued,  without 
further  incident,  under  General  Crook, 
General  Sheridan  having  preceded  the  com- 
mand for  better  communication  with  General 
Iialleck  at  Richmond  and  General  Grant  at 
Washington. 


SHERIDANS  CAVALRY. 


2S1 


A corps  having  been  left  at  Appomattox 
Court  House,  to  attend  to  the  details  of 
matters  connected  with  the  paroling  and  dis- 
banding of  Lee’s  army,  the  Army  of  the  Poto- 
mac withdrew  to  Burkesville  Junction  and 
the  Hinth  Corps  was  distributed  along  the 
Southside  railroad.  Sheridan  camped  his 
cavalry  corps  at  Petersburg. 

All  eyes  were  now  turned  towards  Horth 
Carolina  and  Johnston’s  army.  The  fate  of 
the  latter  was  certain,  yet  without  an  imme- 
diate surrender,  an  active  campaign  in  Horth 
Carolina  was  inevitable. 

General  Grant  had  sped  to  Washington 
immediately  after  Lee’s  surrender,  and  the 
first  orders  from  the  government  were  issued 
looking  towards  a retrenchment  of  necessary 
military  expenditures  The  victories  around 
Petersburg;  its  fall;  the  capture  of  Rich- 
mond ; the  successful  battles  in  the  hasty  pur- 
suit ; the  final  surrender  of  the  Rebel  Army 
of  Northern  Virginia ; the  assassination  of 
the  President ; and  the  simultaneous  attacks 
on  the  lives  of  the  nation’s  leaders ; had 
thrilled  the  country  with  the  intensest  excite- 
ment. The  public  mind  was  prepared  for 
any  news  and  yet  could  scarcely  comprehend 
the  passing  events  of  day  to  day. 

But  the  skill  and  wisdom  of  the  head  of  the 


282 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


Union  armies  did  not  stand  startled  and 
quiescent  at  success.  Each  moment  was  ap- 
preciated and  every  opportunity  grasped. 
Johnston’s  Rebel  army  had  acknowledged  it- 
self to  he  at  bay  before  those  marching  hosts 
of  Sherman ; and  the  wily  Rebel  leaders 
sought  to  take  advantage,  themselves,  of  the 
discomfiture  of  their  brethren  elsewhere  to 
gain  wide  and  retrieving  terms  in  support  of 
their  falling  fortunes.  Sherman’s  “ arrange- 
ment,” which  it  is  not  proposed  to  discuss, 
was  quickly  vetoed  in  Washington,  and  the 
Lieutenant-General  himself  became  the  mes- 
senger of  a new  program.  He  started  at  once 
for  Sherman’s  headquarters  in  North  Caro- 
lina, having  first,  however,  taken  such  pre- 
paratory measures  as  would  be  rendered  nec- 
essary in  case  Johnston  should  decline  the 
“unconditional  surrender”  which  was  now 
to  be  demanded  and  enforced. 

As  far  as  Sheridan  and  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  were  concerned,  these  wise  precau- 
tions comprised  orders  to  the  former  to  be 
prepared  to  move  his  whole  force,  with  such 
a number  of  rations  and  light  supplies  as  in- 
dicated a long  campaign  without  an  imme- 
diate base;  and  to  the  latter  for  the  detach- 
ment of  the  Sixth  Army  Corps,  under  General 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY.  283 

Wright,  which  was  to  be  ready  to  inarch  under 
similar  conditions.* 

Nothing  more  favorable  being  heard  from 
Johnston,  these  two  columns  were  put  in  mo- 
tion, both  under  the  command  of  General 
Sheridan,  the  Sixth  Corps  moving  from 
Burkesville  on  Sunday  the  24th  and  the  cav- 
alry from  Petersburg  on  Mon  da}",  25tli  April. 
The  infantry  column  marched  directly  south 
along  the  Richmond  and  Danville  Railroad, 
towards  Danville,  while  the  cavalry  left 
Petersburg  by  the  now  famous  Boydton  plank- 
road.  It  was  expected,  therefore,  that  after 
three  or  four  days  the  two  columns  would 
unite  near  the  southern  boundary  of  Virginia 
and  march  thence  into  North  Carolina,  to 
operate  as  circumstances  might  require. 

The  march  of  the  cavalry  was  without  spec- 
ial interest,  the  country  traveled  over  being 
well  worn  out  with  war  and  possessing  natur- 
ally but  few  attractions.  The  spring  weather 
was  becoming  warm  and  the  roads  dry  and 
dusty.  The  Boydton  plankroad  bore  painful 
evidences  of  having  once  been  a “ plank  ” 
road,  and  its  dilapidated  condition  added  seri- 
ously to  the  difficulties  of  the  march.  Trouble- 
some creeks  and  rivers,  where  bridges  had 
been  destroyed,  were  to  be  crossed  and  occa- 

* See  note  ( b ) at  end  of  this  Chapter. 


2S4 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


sioned  no  little  delay.  Rebel  officers  and 
soldiers  of  Lee’s  army  now  and  then  were 
met,  many  of  whom,  not  yet  paroled,  strolled 
to  the  column  for  protection,  a parole,  or  out 
of  idle  curiosity. 

At  the  crossing  of  Stony  Creek,  the  ford 
was  found  to  he  impracticable,  hut  the  abut- 
ments and  piers  of  the  bridge  appeared  in 
good  order;  all  else  was  destroyed.  With 
tools  and  a few  skilled  workmen  the  bridge 
might,  in  ordinary  times,  have  been  repaired 
in  a day  or  two.  Row  a few  beams  floated 
about  in  the  stream  as  the  only  material,  axes 
the  only  implements  and  soldiers  the  only 
workmen  on  hand.  The  bridge  must  be  re- 
built. A regiment  of  troopers  dismounted 
and  their  officers  set  to  work  in  right  earnest. 
It  was  in  the  middle  of  the  day  and  every 
hour  delayed  the  march.  Sheridan,  Crook, 
Davies,  and  other  generals  who  happened  to 
be  near  the  head  of  the  column,  watched  and 
nursed  the  work,  so  that  in  less  than  three 
hours  a complete  bridge,  fifteen  feet  high  and 
thirty  to  forty  feet  long,  was  ready  for  the 
passage  of  cavalry,  artillery  and  trains.  [This 
activity  is  notable  and  contrasts  with  the  in- 
activity at  Farmville,  7th  April.  Anchor.] 
Meanwhile  two  Rebels  officers  rode  up  and 
watched  the  scene.  After  a short  time  said 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


285 


one  to  a soldier  near  him,  “ jSTo  wonder  you 
Yankees  always  get  along  so  fast.  Our  men 
would  never  have  gone  to  work  to  rebuild 
this  bridge  in  that  way.” 

“ What  would  you  have  done  ? ” 

“ We  would  have  waited  for  the  ‘ con- 
struction corps  ’ and  the  niggers  to  come  up, 
or  else  dashed  in  and  forded  the  river  any- 
how.” 

“ Suppose  you  had  artillery  ? ” 

“ Oh,  we  would  have  emptied  the  caissons, 
carried  the  ammunition  across  the  foot-bridge 
and  pushed  ahead.” 

To  have  adopted  this  course  would  have 
crossed  a few  men,  rendered  the  ford  imprac- 
ticable, separated  the  command  and  thus  de- 
layed the  march.  This  was  the  difference  be- 
tween Southern  enterprise  and  Yankee  in- 
genuity. The  latter  would  give  the  entire 
column  a short  halt  and  an  unimpeded  pas- 
sage of  the  river,  the  former  would  have 
created  accident  and  delay.  The  compliment, 
however,  to  Sheridan’s  soldiers,  Avas  grace- 
fully paid  by  one  of  the  foemen  who  had 
fought  them,  and  as  kindly  received  as  it 
was  intended. 

The  general  impression  of  the  people  along 
the  route  of  march  was  that  Johnston’s  army 
had  already  surrendered.  They  had  heard 


286 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


of  the  first  truce  which  was  agreed  upon  be- 
tween Sherman  and  his  opponent  and  taken 
it  for  granted  that  the  latter’s  terms  would  be 
acceded  to,  or  that  the  armistice  must  end  in 
a surrender.  They  believed  that  the  present 
march  of  Sheridan  through  the  country  was 
entirely  uncalled  for.  They  were  unable  to 
appreciate  the  policy  of  subjecting  their  beau- 
tiful country  of  Southern  Virginia,  hitherto 
scarcely  visited  by  troops  from  either  army, 
to  the  devastation  and  scourge  of  war. 

The  chief  feature  of  this  peaceful  march  of 
Sheridan  was  the  new  experience  of  traveling 
through  the  enemy’s  country  without  the  or- 
dinary precautions  of  war.  Four  years  of 
life  a la  qui  vive,  which  is,  or  should  be,  the 
normal  condition  of  a soldier,  gave  to  a jour- 
ney without  it  a joyous  and  reckless  char- 
acter. The  weather  was  pleasant,  the  beau- 
ties of  spring  just  budding  and  the  country 
betokening  comparatively  few  evidences  of 
the  civil  strife  now  happily  drawing  to  a 
close.  Brigades  and  divisions  marched  with- 
out advanced  guards  or  the  delays  of  recon- 
noitering.  Officers  preceded  the  columns 
daily  for  miles,  to  select  appropriate  bivouacs, 
a convenient  practise  not  heretofore  within 
the  bounds  of  prudence.  Regular  and  irreg- 
ular foraging  parties  scoured  the  country  for 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


287 


miles  on  each  flank  of  the  column,  and 
woe  to  the  innocent  quadrupeds  which  fell 
in  their  path.* 

The  region  along  the  Dan  and  Staunton 
rivers  always  enjoyed  a favorable  reputation 
for  its  stock,  and  knowing,  as  the  soldiers  did, 
that  few,  if  any,  troops  had  ever  visited  it, 
every  nerve  was  strained  to  discover  and  seize 
its  horses.  Every  negro  was  interrogated, 

* [This  reads  like  Michelet’s  paragraph  summing 
up  the  conquest  of  the  kingdom  of  Naples  in  1495, 
“A  captain  without  soldiers  was  sent  into  Calabria 
to  require  the  submission  of  the  province,”  the  most 
savage  of  barbarous  districts,  the  ancient  Bruttii,  so 
faithful  or  submissive  to  Hannibal,  a country  and 
people  which,  between  the  great  “Carthaginian” 
and  earthquakes,  have  not  recuperated  in  2,000 
years.  “In  every  direction  the  French  soldiers, 
armor  laid  aside,  in  undress,  their  feet  in  slippers, 
went  about  with  pieces  of  chalk,  marking  their 
lodgings.”  The  famous  and  infamous  Borgia  said, 
that  “ the  French  expedition  of  (six-toed  and  six- 
fingered) Charles  VIII.,  (in  this  respect  like  the 
Philistine  giant  of  the  Hebrew  Chronicles,  or  the 
six-toed  Henry  the  Pious ; or  the  two-thumbed 
Princess  Hedwig  Sophia,  of  Sweden), — had  con- 
quered Italy,  not  with  steel,  but  with  chalk  ; ” and, 
Macaulay  observes,  “ The  only  exploit  which  they 
had  found  necessary,  for  the  purpose  of  taking 
military  occupation  of  anj’  place,  had  been  to  mark 
[with  chalk]  the  doors  of  the  houses  where  they 
meant  to  quarter.”  To  cite  another  example,  the 
“court  chaplain,  in  speaking  of  this  expedition” 
(the  campaign  of  Gustavus  Adolphus  in  Kurland, 
Semigallia  and  East  Prussia,  in  1826),  “said,  'The 
King  took  cities  with  as  much  promptitude  as  he 
crossed  the  country  on  horseback.’  ” — Stevens,  137.] 
“J.  W.  DE  P.” 


288 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


every  stable  searched.  The  news  of  our  ap- 
proach spread  through  the  country  as  if  by 
telegraph,  and  farmers  rushed  their  animals 
to  the  woods  and  swamps,  endeavoring  in 
every  imaginable  way  to  secrete  them  from 
the  search  of  the  omnipresent  troopers.  The 
“ intelligent  contraband,”  however,  appeared 
in  his  old  character,  as  an  unfailing  well  of 
information,  and,  either  from  natural  sym- 
pathy, or  personal  fear,  in  nine  cases  out  of 
ten  revealed  the  concealments  of  the  coveted 
animals.  Many  a valuable  steed  was  thus 
obtained.  Indeed  it  was  scarcely  possible 
that  for  ten  and  often  for  twenty-five  miles 
off  each  flank  of  the  line  of  march,  a single 
horse  could  escape  capture,  so  thorough  was 
the  search  for  a prize  most  highly  esteemed 
among  these  energetic  troopers.  It  seemed 
hard,  often,  to  take  from  his  comfortable  stall 
the  pet  of  the  family,  or  to  lead  out  a clean- 
limbed, nimble  little  mare  for  the  heavy  packs 
and  saddle  of  the  cavalry-man.  But  was  it 
inappropriate  for  the  stern-eyed,  haughty  and 
wilful  stallion  to  be  “ drafted  into  the 
army.”  Yet  it  was  harsh  to  leave  the  plow 
standing  in  the  furrow ; and  who  could  fail 
to  he  moved  by  the  pitiful  appeals  of  the 
poor  people,  begging  that  their  animals 
might  he  spared,  lest  the  crop  should  fail 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY.  289 

and  children  ask  for  bread  in  vain.  But  we 
sadly  needed  the  horses  in  the  column. 

“ Sheridan’s  scouts,”  on  this  expedition, 
were  more  ubiquitous  than  ever.  Being  in 
appearance  indistinguishable  from  the  ex- 
Rebel  soldiers,  who  were  by  this  time  well 
dispersed  through  the  country,  and  being  re- 
lieved of  the  natural  caution  exercised  by 
campaigners  in  the  presence  of  the  enemy, 
these  enterprising  individuals  extended  their 
rides  for  many  miles  in  every  direction,  meet- 
ing with  numerous  opportunities  to  expedite 
their  journeys  by  the  resident  relays  awaiting 
them  on  every  farm.  Their  incursions  and 
excursions,  however,  were  not  without  profit 
in  a strictly  military,  as  well  as  personal, 
point  of  view.  They  learned  the  character 
of  the  country,  its  resources  and  the  various 
roads,  and,  thus,  each  night  assisted  the  com- 
mander to  determine  the  most  feasible  line  of 
march  for  the  day  following.  If  a bridge 
had  disappeared  they  learned  all  about  the 
fords  or  the  probable  length  of  time  it  would 
take  to  rebuild  an  old  or  to  construct  a new 
one. 

Their  most  remarkable  success,  however, 
about  this  time,  was  the  construction  of  a 
complete  bridge  over  the  Staunton  river,  near 
its  confluence  with  the  Dan.  The  stream  at 

19 


290 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


this  point  is  wide  and  turbulent,  and  Sheri- 
dan’s cavalry  column  was  not  provided  with 
a pontoon  train.  Unless  a crossing  could  be 
effected  in  this  locality  a detour  of  many 
miles,  causing  a delay  of  several  days,  would 
he  necessary  in  marching  higher  up  the 
stream  to  a more  established  crossing.  The 
Sixth  Corps  had  crossed  the  Stanton  River 
near  the  Richmond  and  Danville  railroad ; 
but,  if  Sheridan  should  now  be  obliged  to 
cross  at  the  same  point,  the  cavalry  would  be 
in  the  awkward  position  of  two  or  three  days’ 
march  behind  the  infantry.  This,  on  ap- 
proaching an  enemy,  would  be  almost  inex- 
cusable in  any  commander.  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances it  was  not  a little  embarrassing 
to  find  that  the  excellent  road  along  which 
we  were  now  marching  led  only  to  an  ordinary 
flat-boat  ferry,  over  which  to  transport  five 
thousand  cavalry,  with  its  light  trains  and 
artillery,  would  occupy  perhaps  a week. 

The  scouts  dispersed  up  and  down  the  river 
banks  for  miles.  Clarksville,  a little  village 
to  the  south,  was  visited,  and  on  one  pretext 
or  another,  and  by  the  compulsory  employ- 
ment of  any  negroes  wdiose  labor  could  be 
made  available  in  one  day,  a large  number  of 
flat-boats  were  collected  and  “ poled  ” to  the 
ferry.  These  boats  were  about  twenty-five 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


291 

feet  long  and  just  wide  enough  to  admit  a 
wagon.  The  river  could  not  have  been  less 
than  two  hundred  feet  broad  and  was  quite 
deep.  The  current  was  rapid,  and  it  seemed 
inevitable  that  the  column  must  halt  and  pad- 
dle itself  across  with  great  delay  in  small  de- 
tachments. It  appeared  impossible  to  bridge 
it.  Yet,  one  by  one  the  flat-boats  arrived 
from  up  and  down  the  stream,  and,  as  it  hap- 
pened, all  were  of  the  same  size.  It  was  at 
once  determined  to  fasten  them  together  as 
firmly  as  the  odd  ropes  and  chains  collected 
would  permit.  It  was  ascertained  that  there 
were  just  enough  boats  to  reach  across  the 
stream  and  with  remarkable  ingenuity  they 
were  soon  swinging  into  the  current,  a few  of 
them  anchored  and,  in  almost  as  short  a time 
as  it  takes  to  lay  a pontoon  bridge  of  the 
same  length,  a secure  passage  for  the  column 
was  provided.  It  could  scarcely  be  supposed 
that  this  frail  structure  would  have  sup- 
ported the  burden  of  a large  cavalry  force, 
yet,  without  a moment’s  delay,  the  whole 
command  crossed  without  a single  accident. 
The  scouts,  however,  accustomed  to  move 
with  the  advance,  did  not  watch  the  result  of 
their  engineering  skill  with  the  interest  of 
connoisseurs,  but,  with  the.  troops  fairly 
across,  left  the  bridge  to  look  after  itself,  so 


292 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


that,  when  the  lumbering  commissary 
trains  attempted  to  cross,  they  found  them- 
selves too  late.  The  bridge  had  just  broken 
and  the  flat-boats  were  floating  carelessly 
down  the  stream. 

The  impromptu  construction  of  this  bridge 
and  the  rapid  crossing  over  it  of  Sheridan’s 
cavalry  column  is  an  episode  worthy  of  serious 
attention  by  the  military  student.  TIad  it  oc- 
curred during  more  active  operations,  in  the 
presence  of  an  enemy,  it  would  have  been 
recorded  as  one  of  the  most  remarkable  in- 
stances of  industry  and  enterprise  in  the  his- 
tory of  war.  [A  similar  conception  was  that 
of  Colonel  Bailey,  when  he  bridged  (18th 
May,  1864)  the  Atchafalaya,  at  Simms’  Port, 
over  1,800  feet  (about  a third  of  a mile) 
across  with  steamboats,  over  which  the  wagon 
train  passed  19th  May,  p.  m.  Anchor.] 
TIow  will  the  work  of  energetic  unprofes- 
sionals, so  successfully  and  skilfully  com- 
pleted, compare  with  the  efforts  of  those  mili- 
tary savants , which  were  manifested  earlier 
in  the  war  in  digging  earth  before  an  inferior 
foe,  and  in  proposing  that  a victorious  and 
pursuing  army  should  construct  a line  of  de- 
fense as  a protection  from  a retreating  enemy ! 

It  may  not  be  generally  known  that,  after 
the  battle  of  Williamsburg  [5th  May, 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


293 


1862]  on  the  Peninsula,  in  May,  1862,  one 
of  General  McClellan’s  representatives  asked 
General  Heintzelman  (commanding  the 
troops  of  Hooker  and  Kearney,  by  whom  the 
battle  was  won)  , if  he  did  not  think  it  would 
be  advisable  to  construct  a military  road 
across  the  Peninsula,  to  aid  the  communi- 
cation between  the  wings  of  the  army  in  the 
new  line  of  defense  which  was  about  to  be 
assumed.  At  this  moment  the  fighting  was 
over  and  the  enemy  under  Magruder  [Long- 
street]  were  in  full  retreat.  General  Heint- 
zelman also  received  orders  the  next  morning 
not  to  advance  his  troops  without  further 
authority.  Kearney’s  division  was  at  that 
moment  pursuing  the  rear-guard. 

At  the  Staunton  river,  Sheridan  had 
learned  that  Wright,  with  the  advance  of  the 
Sixth  Corps,  had  entered  Danville  without 
opposition.  The  cavalry  therefore  pushed  on 
up  the  Dan  river  for  the  first  available  cross- 
ing, with  the  intention  of  marching  by  the 
shortest  route  for  Greensboro,  Horth  Carolina, 
or  if  the  enemy  was  found  to  be  too  trouble- 
some, to  unite  with  the  Sixth  Corps  at  some 
convenient  point  south  of  the  Dan.  The 
bridge  over  the  latter,  at  South  Boston  Station 
on  the  Danville  Railroad,  presented  the  first 
opportunity;  and  on  the  afternoon  of  Friday, 


294 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


April  2 Sib,  Sheridan  here  encamped,  Crook’s 
command  being  crossed  to  the  south  bank. 

Early  in  the  afternoon,  while  the  troops 
were  being  assigned  to  their  various  bivouacs, 
General  Sheridan  received  a dispatch  from 
General  Halleck  at  Richmond,  informing 
him  of  the  final  surrender  of  Johnston  to 
Sherman  upon  the  same  terms  accorded  by 
General  Grant  to  General  Lee  at  Appomat- 
tox Court  House,  and  ordering  General  Sher- 
idan with  his  troops  to  return  at  once  to 
Petersburg. 

The  necessity  of  obtaining  forage  and  the 
eager  horse  hunts  had  scattered  small  parties 
through  the  country  in  every  direction.  Some 
even  penetrated  as  far  south  as  Roxbury  and 
Yancey ville  and  several  visited  Milton,  North 
Carolina.  Every  flat-boat  ferry  over  the  Dan 
was  used  by  one  or  more  of  these  venturesome 
foragers,  who  met  with  not  a few  interesting 
adventures.  They  became  thoroughly  ac- 
quainted with  the  spirit  and  temper  of  the  in- 
habitants, as  well  as  with  the  resources  of  the 
country.  The  news  of  the  presence  of  these 
foragers  in  any  particular  locality  was  quickly 
noised  abroad,  and,  as  Johnston’s  surrender 
was  in  these  parts  believed  to  have  taken  place 
at  the  time  of  the  original  truce  between  Sher- 
man and  himself,  not  a few  of  the  people 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


295 


openly  disputed  the  right  of  roving  troopers 
to  inspect  their  stables.  This  fact  only  in- 
creased their  misfortunes  and  led  to  a more 
vigilant  and  determined  search.  As  parties 
from  Wheeler’s  Rebel  cavalry  were  riding 
about  Worth  Carolina,  pillaging  and  helping 
themselves  to  stock  in  some  localities,  the  citi- 
zens had  improvised  small  bodies  to  protect 
themselves.  It  therefore  happened  sometimes 
that  our  men  narrowly  escaped  serious  en- 
counters and  in  a few  instances  single  col- 
lisions actually  occurred,  one  of  which  was 
fatal.  Some  of  these  foragers  had  extended 
their  operations  so  far  from  the  main  body  of 
the  corps  that  they  did  not  succeed  in  rejoin- 
ing Sheridan  until  after  he  had  reached  the 
camp  at  Petersburg. 

The  return  march  was  without  noteworthy 
incident,  unless  the  parade  of  the  cavalry 
corps  through  the  city7  be  recorded.  Dusty 
and  triumphant,  that  series  of  reviews  through 
Petersburg,  Richmond  and  Washington,  of 
Sheridan’s,  Sherman’s  and  Meade’s  grand 
armies  commenced  one  pleasant  afternoon  in 
the  streets  of  the  city  around  which  for  now 
nearly  a year  great  hosts  had  battled,  and 
where  the  skill,  science,  industry  and  magni- 
tude of  war  was  without  a parallel.  The 
people  naturally  were  worn  out  with  battle 


296 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


and  manifested  little  or  no  interest  in  the 
affair,  while  the  irrepressible  negro  watched 
the  passing  array  with  unobtrusive  grinning 
satisfaction.  The  cavalry  corps  was  en- 
camped on  the  north  bank  of  the  Appomattox. 

The  Army  of  the  Potomac  soon  arrived 
in  Richmond,  and  these  war-worn  veterans 
marched  as  victors  through  the  city  at  which 
they  had  toiled  and  fought  for  nearly  four 
bloody  years.  Generals  Halleck  and  Meade 
reviewed  them  en  passant.  The  troops  con- 
tinued their  course  over  the  old  battle-grounds 
of  Virginia,  across  war-worn  fields,  through 
destroyed  villages,  old  encampments  half  hid- 
den in  the  underbrush,  and  passing  unculti- 
vated wastes  on  which  solitary  chimneys  stood 
as  monuments  of  a complete  desolation.  Did 
not  the  hand  of  Providence  guide  those  hosts 
on  their  homeward  march  along  the  former 
fields  of  strife,  to  impress  on  each  the  image 
of  “ grim-visaged  war  ” and  the  “ wrinkled 
front  ” of  its  declining  days,  that  the  veteran 
might  the  more  appreciate  his  home  of  hap- 
piness and  prosperity,  peace  and  virtue. 

Sherman’s  armies,  after  most  expeditious 
marches,  were  soon  reviewed  in  Petersburg 
and  followed  on  to  Richmond.  Sheridan  now 
turned  over  the  command  of  his  cavalry  to 
Major-General  George  Crook,  and  himself  re- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY.  297 

paired  to  Washington  for  consultation  with 
the  Lieutenant-General. 

Before  the  corps  was  placed  en  route  for 
Washington,  however,  General  Gregg’s  brig- 
ade of  Crook’s  Division  was  sent  to  garrison 
Lynchburg  and  the  surrounding  country,  and 
General  Smith’s  Brigade  was  assigned  to  the 
same  duty  at  Petersburg.  Taking  up,  then, 
the  line  of  march,  the  remainder  of  the  corps 
started  north,  passing  General  Sherman’s 
armies  in  camp  near  Manchester.  Marching 
through  Richmond  without  display  it  con- 
tinued towards  Washington  by  a westerly 
route  via  Louisa  Court  House  and  Warren  ton 
Junction,  crossing  the  Rapidan  at  Raccoon 
Lord  and  the  Rappahannock  at  Kelly’s  Dord. 
This  detour  was  rendered  judicious  in  order 
to  leave  the  more  direct  roads  unobstructed 
for  the  march  of  Sherman’s  infantry,  artillery 
and  trains.  By  this  route  many  scenes  of 
former  conflicts  were  visited  and  reminis- 
cences revived  of  Sheridan’s  first-  raid  about 
Richmond.  This,  it  will  be  remembered,  had 
occurred  just  a year  previous,  during  that 
memorable  campaign  of  Grant  from  the  Rap- 
pahannock to  the  James.  “ Yellow  Tav- 
ern ” was  passed,  scarcely  a mile  or  two 
out  of  Richmond,  where  fell  the  famous  Rebel 
cavalryman,  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  and  whence — ■ 


298 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


as  his  followers  now  acknowledge — nothing 
could  have  seriously  prevented  the  march  of 
Sheridan  s troopers  through  the  streets  of  the 
Rebel  capital.  The  line  of  the  Virginia 
Central  railroad  was  observed  until  the  col- 
umn approached  another  battlefield  at  Tre- 
vellian  Station.  The  railroad  was  lined 
with  evidences  of  destruction  and  decay ; 
violence  and  want  of  repairs,  in  some  in- 
stances, had  rendered  it  scarcely  passable. 
Temporary  shanties  or  silent  ruins  were  often 
all  that  remained  of  the  former  depots. 

Stevensburg  was  passed,  with  its  existence 
known  only  by  a name  on  the  map ; one  or 
two  houses  were  standing,  and  only  an  ex- 
perienced antiquarian  could  have  discovered 
evidences  of  a village.  The  beautiful  coun- 
try between  the  Rapidan  and  the  north  fork 
of  the  Rappahannock  was  rich  with  the  ver- 
dure of  innocent  spring,  hut  it  afforded  scarce 
an  object  of  animate  life,  blot  even  the  “ in- 
telligent contraband  ” greeted  the  “ true 
blues.”  Of  fences  there  were  none.  The 
fresh  sunlight  of  heaven  smiled  anew  across 
the  overgrown  fields ; the  old  log  huts  of  the 
army  camps  were  falling  to  decay,  as  if  con- 
scious of  approaching  peace ; the  feathered 
songsters  chirped  merrily  through  the  pleas- 
ant woods;  the  little  streams  rejoiced  again 


SHERIDAN 'S  CAVALRY. 


299 


in  mountain  purity ; “ vain  man  ” seemed  to 
have  departed  and  his  lands  regenerated  and 
rededicated  to  freedom. 

The  valley  of  the  Rapidan,  the  beautiful 
slopes  of  rolling  Culpepper  charmed  the  eye; 
the  desolate  hearthstones  chilled  the  heart ; 
the  ruined  homes  awakened  sympathy.  Then, 
a little  ways  beyond,  the  half-covered  grave 
re-opened  that  wound,  and  an  ill-fated  battle- 
ground recalled  the  present  triumph.  From 
the  Rappahannock  to  Centerville,  every  inch 
of  the  ground  might  tell  a battle  story.  Who 
will  attempt  to  conjecture  the  silent  emotions 
of  these  homeward  bound  veterans,  as  they 
marched  finally  and  peacefully  across  the  his- 
toric fields  of  Virginia. 

(a)  Sheridan’s  Cavalry  departed  from  the  place  of 
surrender  the  following  morning  under  the  follow- 
ing order : 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters,  Appomattox  Court- 
House,  April  9,  1865.  The  First,  Second,  and  Third 
Cavalry  Divisions  of  this  command  will  move  out  at 
8 a.  M.  to-morrow  on  the  road  through  Appomattox 
Court-House,  via  Walker's  church  and  Farmville, 
to  Burke's  Station.  The  following  will  be  the  order 
of  march  : First;  Second  Cavalry  Division,  Major- 
General  Crook  commanding  ; Second,  the  command 
of  Major-General  Merritt.  The  Second  Cavalry  Di- 
vision will  encamp  to-morrow  night  in  the  vicinity 
of  Prospect  Station.  The  comman  d of  Brevet-Major- 
General  Merritt  will  encamp  between  Walker's 
church  and  Prospect  Station,  at  such  points  as  may 
be  best  for  the  collection  of  forage  for  the  command. 
All  trains,  except  those  of  headquarters,  will  follow 
in  rear  of  the  column.  The  commanding  officer  of 


300 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


the  rear  division  will  furnish  a small  guard  as  escort 
for  train.  The  general  commanding  would  like  to 
have  the  whole  of  the  cavali'y  file  through  Appomat- 
tox Court-House  in  the  order  above  designated.  The 
command  will  move  by  fours  and  well  closed  up. 
By  command  of  Major-General  Sheridan  ; Jas.  W. 
Forsyth,  Brevet-Brigadier-General  and  Chief  of 
Staff.” 

( b ) The  expedition  under  Sheridan  to  go  to  Sher- 
man’s army  in  North  Carolina  was  in  pursuance  of 
the  orders  of  Lieutenant-General  Grant  formulated 
while  he  was  himself  journeying  at  his  utmost  speed 
to  meet  General  Sherman  at  Raleigh  during  the 
truce  that  had  been  arranged  between  Sherman  and 
Johnston. 

These  orders  are  of  interest  here,  as  well  as  some 
of  the  correspondence  that  preceded  them. 

“Washington,  April  16,  1865,  Major-General 
Sheridan,  Nottoway,  Va.  : The  following  is  forwarded 
for  your  information  : ‘ Smithfield.  N.  C.,  April  12, 
1865:  5 a.  M.  Lieutenant-General  Grant,  command- 
ing armies  of  the  United  States,  Va.  : General:  I 
have  this  moment  received  your  telegram  announc- 
ing the  surrender  of  Lee’s  army.  I hardly  know 
how  to  express  my  feelings,  but  you  can  imagine 
them.  The  terms  you  have  given  Lee  are  magnani- 
mous and  liberal.  Should  Johnston  follow  Lee’s  ex- 
ample, I shall,  of  course,  grant  the  same.  Ho  is  re- 
treating before  me  on  Raleigh,  and  I shall  be 
there  to-morrow.  Roads  are  heavy  but  under  the 
inspiration  of  the  news  from  you  we  can  march 
twenty-five  miles  a day.  I am  now  twenty-seven 
miles  from  Raleigh,  but  some  of  my  army  is  eight 
miles  behind.  If  Johnston  retreats  south  i will  fol- 
low him  to  insure  the  scattering  of  his  forces  and 
capture  the  locomotives  and  cars  at  Charlotte,  but  I 
take  it  he  will  surrender  at  Raleigh.  Kilpatrick’s 
cavalry  is  ten  miles  to  the  south  and  west  of  me,  viz, 
on  Middle  Creek,  and  I have  sent  Major  Audenried 
with  orders  to  make  for  the  south  and  west  of 
Raleigh  to  impede  the  enemy  if  he  goes  beyond  Ral- 
eigh. All  the  infantry  is  fronted  straight  for  Raleigh 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


301 


by  five  different  roads.  The  railroad  is  being  re- 
paired from  Goldsborough  to  Raleigh,  but  I will  not 
aim  to  carry  it  farther.  I shall  expect  to  hear  of 
Sheridan  in  case  Johnston  does  not  surrender  at 
Raleigh.  With  a little  more  cavalry  I would  be  sure 
to  capture  the  whole  army.  Yours,  truly, 

W.  T.  Sherman,  Major-General,  commanding. 

U.  S.  Grant,  Lieutenant-General.” 

“ Nottoway  Court-House,  April  16,  1865.  (Re- 
ceived 11.50  a.  M.)  Lieutenant-General  Grant : I was 
about  to  move  the  cavalry  to  City  Point  to  refit  and 
feed  the  horses.  It  is  impossible  to  get  the  com- 
mand in  good  condition  at  this  place.  The  railroad 
is  in  such  bad  condition  that  it  cannot  furnish  the 
necessary  allowance  of  forage  and  other  supplies. 
Thus  far  I have  not  been  able  to  get  anything.  I 
will  not  move  till  I hear  from  you. 

P.  H.  Sheridan,  Major-General.” 

“ Washington.  April  16,  1865 — 3.30  P.  M.  Major 
General  Sheridan,  Nottoway  Court-House,  Ya.  : 
Your  dispatch  of  this  date  received.  Can  you  not 
move  from  6,000  to  8,000  cavalry  to  join  Sherman  ? 
I have  sent  you  two  dispatches  on  the  subject,  be- 
sides two  from  Sherman  directed  to  Burkeville, 
which  I judge  from  yours  you  have  not  received. 
Telegraph  up  for  them,  and  if  they  are  not  there  let 
me  know  and  I will  have  them  repeated.  U.  S. 
Grant,  Lieutenant  General. 

Note.  If  you  have  no  cipher  operator  send  to 
General  Meade  for  one.  ■ 

U.  S.  G.” 

On  16th  April  Sheridan  left  Nottoway  Court- 
House  for  City  Point  telegraphing  Grant. 

“Nottoway,  April  16,  1865.  Lieutenant  General: 
Is  the  reported  assassination  of  President  Lincoln 
and  Secretary  Seward,  which  reached  here  last 
night,  time?  P.  H.  Sheridan.  Major  General.” 

The  answer  was  from  General  Grant’s  Chief  of 
Staff  at  Washington : 

“Washington,  April  16,  1865—7  P.  M.  Maj.  Gen. 
P.  H.  Sheridan,  Nottoway  Court-House,  Va.  : The 
reported  assassination  of  President  Lincoln  is  true, 


302 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


He  died  yesterday  morning  at  7.22.  His  murderer 
is  supposed  to  be  J.  Wilkes  Booth,  who  is  still  at 
large.  Mr.  Seward  is  still  living  but  is  in  a very 
critical  condition.  Jno.  A.  Rawlins,  Chief  of  Staff.” 

“ City  Point,  Va.,  April  16,  1865.  Lieut.  Gen.  U. 
S.  Grant,  Washington  : After  sending  my  dispatch 
to  you  this  morning  I came  down  to  this  place  to  find 
the  true  condition  of  the  railroad.  I am  satisfied  that 
rhe  command  cannot  be  supplied  and  refitted  at 
Nottoway  in  any  Treasonable  time.  If  I could  drop 
back  to  the  vicinity  of  Petersburg  forage  could  be 
sent  up  the  river.  I am  anxious  to  make  the  march 
you  spoke  of  yesterday  in  your  telegram,  and  will 
gain  time  by  coining  back  to  Petersburg  or  this 
place.  P.  H.  Sheridan,  Major-General.” 

“Washington,  April,  16,  1865 — 10  P.  M.  Major- 
General  Sheridan,  City  Point.  Ya.  : You  may  bring 
your  cavalry  back  to  Petersburg,  or  where  you  can 
make  the  most  time  for  you  to  move  in  con- 
junction with  Sherman.  U.  S.  Grant,  Lieutenant 
General.” 

“City  Point.  Va.,  April,  16,  1865 — 10.30  P.  M. 
(Received  11.45  P.  M.)  Lieut.  Gen.  U.  S.  Grant. 
Washington  : I have  telegraphed  for  the  dis- 
patches from  Sherman  that  you  refer  to.  P.  H. 
Sheridan,  Major  General.” 

“City  Point,  April  16,  1865.  Lieut.  Col.  F.  C. 
Newhall,  Asst.  Adjt.  Gen.  Cavalry  Headquarters, 
Nottoway  Court-House  : We  are  now  here.  Send 
any  dispatches  that  you  may  have  for  the  general  to 
this  place,  President  Lincoln  died  last  night  at  7.7. 
p.  M.  The  President  was  stabbed  at  Ford’s  Theater 
by  J.  Wilkes  Booth,  the  actor.  Jas.  W.  Forsyth, 
Brevet  Brigadier-General  and  Chief  of  Staff.”  [to 
Major-General  Sheridan] 

“Cavalry  Headquarters,  City  Point.  April  16,  1865. 
Lieut.  Col.  F.  C.  Newhall,  Assistant  Adjutant-Gen- 
eral, Nottoway  Court-House  : Have  you  any  dis- 
patches for  General  Sheridan  from  General  Sher- 
man? If  you  have,  send  them  here  at  once.  Jas. 
W.  Forsyth,  Brevet  Brigadier-General  and  Chief  of 
Staff.” 

“Cavalry  Headquarters,  April,  16,  1865.  Lieut- 
enant Colonel  Newhall,  Assistant  Adjutant-General, 


SHERIDAN 'S  CA  VALR  Y. 


303 


Nottoway  Court-House  : The  cavalry  will  move  to- 
morrow morning  for  Petersburg.  Bring  forward  all 
our  headquarters  with  the  command.  Jas.  W. 
Forsyth,  Chief  of  Staff.” 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters.  City  Point.  April  16, 1865. 
Major-General  Crook,  Commanding  Cavalry,  Notto- 
way Court-House  : The  major-general  commanding 
directs  that  you  move  back  with  all  the  cavalry 
now  at  Nottoway  Court-House  to  Petersburg.  This 
movement  to  begin  to-morrow  morning.  Acknowl- 
edge receipt.  Camping  grounds  will  be  selected  in 
advance  for  you  near  Petersburg.  Jas.  W.  Forsyth, 
Chief  of  Staff.” 

“ Fort  Monroe,  April  22,  1865—4  p.  m.  Received 
5.30  P.  M.  Maj.  Gen.  H.  W.  Halleck,  Richmond  : 
The  truce  entered  into  by  General  Sherman  will  be 
ended  as  soon  as  I can  reach  Raleigh.  Move  Sher- 
idan with  his  cavalry  toward  Greensborough  as  soon 
as  possible.  I think  it  will  be  well  to  send  one  corps 
of  infantry  with  the  cavalry.  The  infantry  need  not 
go  farther  than  Danville  unless  they  receive  orders 
hereafter. 

U.  S.  Grant,  Lieutenant-General.” 

“ Richmond,  April  22,  1865 — 7 p.  m.  Received  7.30 
P.  M.  Major  General  Meade  : Put  a corps  of  infantry 
at  the  disposition  of  General  Sheridan.  It  will  im- 
mediately move  South  on  Danville,  subject  there, 
and  en  route,  to  the  orders  of  General  Sheridan. 
Give  orders  accordingly.  General  Grant  is  en  route 
to  Raleigh,  and  may  send  this  army  corps  orders 
direct  to  Danville. 

H.  W.  Halleck,  Major-General.” 

“ Headquarters  Military  Division  of  the  James, 
Richmond,  Va..  April  22, 1865 — 7 p.  M.  Major-General 
Sheridan.  In  the  Field  : You  will  move  with  your 
cavalry  immediately  on  Greensborough,  N.  C.  You 
will  then  act  as  circumstances  may  seem  to  require, 
unless  you  receive  instructions  from  General  Grant, 
who  is  on  his  way  to  Raleigh.  General  Meade  has 
been  directed  to  place  an  infantry  corps  under  your 
direction.  It  is  said  here  that  there  is  a large  amount 


304: 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


specie  on  the  road  between  here  and  Charlotte.  It 
is  supposed  to  have  been  taken  at  different  points 
from  the  railroad  and  to  be  in  wagons.  The  railroad 
employes  are  said  to  know  all  about  this,  and  will 
tell  if  forced  to  do  so.  While  pushing  south  with  all 
possible  dispatch  look  to  these  things. 

H.  W.  Halleck,  Major-General,  Commanding.” 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters,  Petersburg,  Va.,  April  22, 
1865 — 9.35  p.  M.  Maj.  Gen.  H.  W.  Halleck,  Richmond, 
Va. : If  I move  the  cavalry  from  this  place  on  the 
morning  of  the  25th  will  that  meet  your  expecta- 
tions ? I can,  by  forcing,  move  on  Monday,  the  24th, 
but  would  like  to  have  till  the  morning  of  the  25th. 
Please  direct  that  the  corps  which  is  to  come  from 
General  Meade  be  directed  to  report  to  me  by  tele- 
graph at  once  so  that  I may  give  the  proper  direc- 
tions about  supplies.  I think  that  the  infantry  can- 
not be  gotten  off  before  the  25th. 

P.  H.  Sheridan,  Major-General,  U.S.  Army,  Com- 
manding.” 

“Petersburg,  April  22,  1865—11.30  p.  m.  Major- 
General  Wright,  Commanding  Sixth  Corps  : If  you 
can  move  to-morrow  morning  do  so.  and  move  on  the 
road  along  the  Weldon  road  parallel  to  it ; and  con- 
tinue your  movement  to  Danville.  The  cavalry  will 
move  from  here  on  Monday  morning  via  the  Boyd- 
ton  road,  and  will  join  you  at  Danville  or  at  some 
point  on  the  railroad  north  to  Dan  River.  If  you  can 
conveniently  increase  the  small  rations  to  sixteen 
days  do  so.  I will  accompany  the  cavalry  column 
until  we  form  a junction.  Should  you  get  to  Dan- 
ville before  the  cavalry  does,  remain  there  till  the 
junction  is  formed.  Acknowledge  receipt  by  tele- 
gram. P.  IT.  Sheridan,  Major-General.” 

“Cavalry  Headquartex-s,  Petei-sburgh.  Va.,  April 
22,  1865 — i 1.30  P.  M.  Maj.  Gen.  H.  W.  Halleck, 
Richmond,  Va.  : The  Sixth  Army  Corps  has  reported 
to  me  and  will  march  from  Burke’s  Station  to-morrow 
morning  for  Danville.  I will  probably  move  on  Mon- 
day morning  with  the  cavalry  and  will  join  the 
Sixth  Corps  at  some  point  on  the  railroad  north  of 
Danville.  P.  H.  Sheridan,  Major-General.” 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


305 


CHAPTER  XII  * 


The  Great  Review  at  Washington  of  all  the  armies. — The  ren- 
dezvous.— Sheridan  absent  because  ordered  to  Texas.— The 
cavalry  camp,  and  dispersion  of  the  corps. — Its  records 
boxed  in  July. — Gradually  disbanded  without  any  formal 
order.— See  Appendix  II  and  III  and  notes. 


By  the  middle  of  May  [1865,]  two  hun- 
dred thousand  veterans  had  encamped  about 
the  national  capital.  South  of  the  Potomac 
the  country  was  for  miles  a vast  camp.  Of 
this  host  a fraction  only  could  you  view 
from  any  one  of  the  fortified  hills ; yet, 
glance  in  any  direction,  toward  any  point  of 
the  compass,  and  in  that  line  of  vision  alone 
an  army  appeared,  stronger  than  that  which 
was  supported  by  [or  at  the  disposal  of]  the 
Continental  Congress  [during  the  Revolution- 
ary War,  or  our  First  Struggle  for  Independ- 
ence]. The  garrisons  of  the  numerous  forts 
straightened  themselves  up  and  looked  with 
pride  on  the  less  punctilious  but  honored  cam- 
paigners about  them. 

It  had  been  scarcely  three  years  since  the 
* See  Appendix  : II.  and  III. 

20 


306 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


i 


first  grand  army  of  tlie  republic  [alluding  to 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  in  1862]  had  moved 
from  the  same  grounds  in  search  of  an  enemy 
who  fled  ere  its  first  advance.  War-worn, 
and  weather-beaten,  after  perils  and  adven- 
tures by  land  and  by  sea,  after  retreats  and 
victories,  battles  and  sieges,  the  vicissitudes 
of  burning  summers  or  shivering  winters, 
after  pleasant  marches,  or  experiences  of 
snow,  ice  and  mud,  these  veterans  now  re- 
turned to  end  their  military  career  where  it 
had  voluntarily  begun.  The  dome  of  the 
Capitol  was  visible  from  every  camp.  The 
soldiers  saw  it  and  remembered  that  when 
they  started  it  was  unfinished.  ISTow  it  typi- 
fied their  success.  Freedom  was  triumphant ! 
The  nation  was  entire ! When  the  fiat  of 
emancipation  was  proclaimed  the  Queen  of 
Freedom  was  enthroned.  It  was  only  then 
that  the  Statue  of  Liberty  surmounted  and 
adorned  the  nation’s  Capitol ! 

Preparations  were  now  commenced  for  the 
Grand  Review  with  which  it  was  proposed  to 
honor  the  triumphant  armies  as  well  as  to  give 
the  country  and  the  troops  an  opportunity  to 
appreciate  the  military  power  which  was 
about  to  be  dissolved,  and  the  strength  and 
energy  of  which  was  soon  to  be  absorbed  in 
the  arts  of  peace. 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


307 


Objections  in  some  quarters  bad  been 
hinted  against  any  pageant  or  attempt  at  a 
holiday  display  so  soon  after  the  death  of  him 
for  whom  the  nation  was  mourning.  But  its 
propriety  was  very  generally  conceded,  and, 
in  view  of  all  the  circumstances, — the  close 
of  so  severe  a struggle,  the  inauguration  of  a 
new  President,  the  asembling  at  the  capitol 
of  the  grandest  and  one  of  the  largest  armies 
the  world  ever  saw,  the  discharge  and  dissolix- 
tion  of  these  veterans  so  soon  to  occur,  and 
the  universal  desire  of  the  people  to  give  the 
soldiers  who  had  won  their  victories  every 
official  and  substantial  recognition  of  the 
value  of  their  services  within  the  power  of 
the  United  States  to  bestow, — the  wise  con- 
sideration prevailed ; so  that  the  motives  for 
the  proposed  review  could  not  be  miscon- 
ceived ; while  its  effect,  on  the  troops  them- 
selves, on  the  officials  at  the  head  of  the  gov- 
ernment, on  the  people  at  large  and  on  the 
powers  and  populations  of  foreign  nations, 
all  justified  its  propriety  and  usefulness. 

Soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  various  armies 
about  Washington  the  city  began  to  be  rapidly 
filled  up  with  strangers  from  all  sections  of 
the  country.  When  the  time  of  the  review 
was  formally  announced,  every  train  brought 
hosts  of  the  relatives  and  friends  of  the 


308 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


troops.  By  the  time  the  actual  display  oc- 
curred, it  was  estimated  that  there  were  more 
people  in  Washington  than  at  any  inaugu- 
ration within  the  memory  of  the  oldest  in- 
habitant. Hotels  reaped  a harvest  and  in 
the  usual  Washington  style.  Men  stood  be- 
hind each  others’  chairs  at  table  and  took 
their  turn  in  attempting  to  make  a meal. 

On  the  18th  of  May  the  initiatory  order  for 
the  review  was  thus  announced:* 

The  troops  which  were  here  named  to  par- 
ticipate in  review  comprised  commands  which 
had  served  in  every  insurrectionary  district 
and  were  representatives  from  every  loyal 
state.  There  were  in  Sherman’s  army  men 
who  had  been  with  Grant  at  Shiloh ; who 
had  campaigned  in  Missouri  and  Arkansas ; 
who  had  fought  at  the  siege  and  in  the  battles 
about  Vicksburg;  who  had  accompanied  Sher- 
man in  his  famous  unsuccessful  raid  from 
the  Mississippi  to  Mericlan ; who  had  been 
transferred  from  the  Mississippi  to  Tennes- 
see ; who  had  participated  in  the  glorious  sum- 
mer campaign  culminating  at  Atlanta ; who 
had  made  the  “ March  to  the  Sea,”  and 
through  the  Carolinas,  in  those  series  of  ex- 
tensive operations  which  ended  at  Chappel 
Hill  in  the  surrender  of  Johnston’s  Hebei 


* See  Appendix  II. 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


309 


army ; who  had  thence  walked  across  the 
broad  and  beautiful  state  of  Virginia  to  the 
fallen  capital  of  the  enemy;  who  had  trodden 
the  sacred  grounds  of  the  Potomac  battle- 
fields; and  who  had  finished  at  the  nation’s 
capital  a military  career,  perhaps  begun  on 
the  Ohio  and  including  in  its  varied  experi- 
ence the  valleys  of  the  principal  rivers,  from 
the  Missouri  to  the  Potomac.  Few  soldiers, 
indeed,  can  boast  of  fortunes  so  diverse ; yet 
there  were  such  veterans  gaily  cooking  coffee 
around  the  bivouac  fires,  the  smoke  of  which 
girdled  in  close  and  small  or  farther  and 
farther  and  more  expansive  circles  the  White 
House. 

It  was  regretted  on  the  part  of  many,  who 
had  some  definite  notion  of  the  nature  of  a 
military  review,  that  there  was  not  to  be  a 
formation  of  all  the  troops,  so  that  the  grand 
whole  of  their  imposing  lines  might  he  en- 
joyed from  some  eligible  locality  by  a com- 
prehensive view.  But  the  number  of  troops 
would  have  made  a mass  too  unwieldy  to 
manoeuver  on  any  locality  adjacent  to  the 
national  capital.  The  topography  of  the 
country  about  Washington  is  at  best  unfavor- 
able, while  the  presence  of  the  river  between 
the  proposed  scene  of  the  review  and  the  main 
camps  of  the  army  presented  another  very 


310 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


serious  difficulty.  A marching  review  only 
was  practicable ; and  this  informal  display 
would,  perhaps,  be  the  more  appropriate  in 
any  ease,  in  view  of  the  recent  public  be- 
reavement. As  soon  as  it  was  known,  how- 
ever, that  Pennsyslvania  Avenue  was  to  be- 
come the  ground  to  be  made  classic  by  the 
tread  of  this  veteran  and  triumphant  host, 
the  whole  country  was  alive  for  the  sight. 
The  fact  was  quite  forgotten  that  it  was  to  be 
simply  a “ march  ” of  the  troops  through  the 
city,  and  that  one  regiment  and  one  brigade 
looked  very  like  another,  and  that  each  day 
would  witness  the  same  constant,  never-end- 
ing stream  of  bayonets  and  blue. 

Workmen  had  already  commenced  to  pre- 
pare stands  for  the  accommodation  of  the  re- 
viewing officers  and  the  military  and  civil 
dignitaries  who  were  expected  to  be  present 
on  the  occasion.  Immediately  in  front  of 
the  White  House  the  main  stand  was  erected, 
and  directly  opposite  another  stand  for  cer- 
tain staff  officers  and  others  who  were  fortu- 
nate enough  to  secure  places  thereon.  Hot 
far  distant  were  other  smaller  stands,  erected 
by  different  officials  for  the  accomodation  of 
disabled  soldiers  and  their  friends  and  who- 
ever else  could  get  on  them.  Hear  Major- 
General  Augur’s  headquarters,  at  the  corner 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


311 


of  Pennsylvania  Avenue  and  Sixteenth  street, 
another  stand  was  constructed  by  the  mili- 
tary ; while  near  the  Treasury  building,  at  the 
head  of  the  avenue  on  Fifteenth  street,  and 
looking  straight  down  this  spacious  thorough- 
fare to  the  Capitol,  some  enterprising  in- 
dividuals had  built  a stand  on  their  own 
account,  and  for  a consideration  of  one,  two 
or  three  dollars,  in  greenbacks,  he  the  same 
more  or  less,  an  eligible  position  was  to  be 
obtained,  whence,  at  a glance,  a mile  of  solid, 
moving,  glistening  bayonets  came  before  the 
spectator.  As  he  looked  thence,  down 
towards  the  Capitol,  and  saw,  for  eight 
hours  each  day,  this  close  column  of  march- 
ing soldiers,  their  tattered  banners  waving 
joyously,  their  steel  shining  in  the  sun, 
heard  the  inspiriting  music  to  which  they 
walked  in  cadence,  saw  the  prancing  war- 
steeds  who  seemed  to  know  the  day,  and 
watched  the  bronzed  and  happy  countenances 
of  officers  and  men,  or  caught  the  firm  lines 
in  the  face  of  a famous  commander,  an  in- 
explicable thrill  crept  over  the  beholder ; 
delight,  amazement,  chagrin  and  triumph 
in  turn  possessed  him.  Could  it  be  possible 
that  the  great  war  was  over  and  so  many 
soldiers  left?  Could  it  be  possible  that  so 
many  soldiers  had  fought,  and  the  war  had 


312 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


not  ceased  before?  Could  it  be  possible  that 
this  was  only  a portion  of  that  grand  army 
which  for  four  long  years  had  waged  so  many 
bloody  conflicts  with  another  army  not  much 
smaller  in  size  and  equal  in  determination 
and  valor  ? Now  it  was  possible  to  begin  to 
appreciate  the  magnitude  of  the  recent  con- 
test, and  to  rejoice  that  peace  was  at  hand. 

But  this  is  diverging.  To  return  to  the 
official  history  of  this  event.  * General 
Grant’s  order  was  succeeded  by  two  other 
orders,  respectively  issued  by  the  officers  who 
had  been  temporarily  assigned  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  troops  on  each  day  of  the  review, 
viz : General  Meade  on  the  first  day  and  Gen- 
eral Sherman  on  the  second : * * * * 

[These  orders  are  quoted  in  the  Appendix  to 
this  volume.] 

The  camp  of  the  cavalry  corps  was  about 
halfway  between  Alexandria  and  Washington, 
while  the  camps  of  all  the  other  armies 
stretched  along  the  hills,  up  and  down  the 
Potomac.  With  only  two  bridges  across  the 
river  it  would  be  impossible  on  the  day  of  the 
review  to  pass  troops  over  fast  enough  to  keep 
a large  body  moving  in  close  column.  It  be- 
came necessary,  therefore,  that  some  should 
cross  before,  and  another  camp  was  selected 

* See  Appendix  II. 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


313 


for  tlie  cavalry  corps  in  the  vicinity  of  Bla- 
densburg,  Maryland,  whither  they  were 
ordered  to  move  on  Sunday  morning. 

General  Sheridan  had  not  yet  rejoined  the 
command  since  leaving  it  at  Petersburg,  but, 
being  at  Willard’s  Hotel,  the  cavalry  corps 
continued  to  move  under  his  directions.  His 
subordinate  generals,  however,  found  it  con- 
venient in  making  this  change  of  location  to 
pass  directly  by  the  quarters  of  their  favorite 
commander,  who,  it  was  now  generally  known, 
was  about  to  depart  for  new  and  distant 
scenes  of  service.  Sunday  morning  [21st 
May,]  unfortunately,  was  stormy,  and  the 
column  moved  in  the  mud  and  dirt  usually 
accompanying  such  weather.  Early  and  un- 
heralded, however,  the  clatter  of  squadrons, 
as  they  splashed  slowly  across  Pennsylvania 
Avenue,  awakened  the  citizens,  and  in  a short 
time  Sheridan  and  staff  appeared  on  the  bal- 
cony to  receive  the  informal  and  impromptu 
compliment  of  a marching  review. 

The  soldiers  were  without  the  trappings  of 
a holiday  parade  and  were  encumbered  with 
the  usual  unmentionable  paraphernalia  be- 
longing to  a moving  cavalry  column.  The 
spirits  of  the  men  were  light  and  gay,  hut  the 
weather  was  dull  and  heavy,  and  these  fa- 
mous troopers  were  reviewed  by  that  portion 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


314 

of  the  population  enthusiastic  enough  to  see 
the  “ pomp  and  panoply  ” of  war  as  it  looked 
in  the  drenching  rain.  The  column  occupied 
a good  part  of  the  morning  in  passing  through 
the  city,  and  wagons  followed  during  the 
whole  day. 

The  affair  created  no  little  stir  among  the 
good  people  of  Washington,  and  the  more 
demonstrative  evinced  a practical  patriotism 
by  setting  out  in  front  of  their  houses  all  the 
bread  and  biscuits  that  happened  to  have  been 
cooked,  while  others  heated  their  ovens  and 
according  to  their  capacity  and  ability  dis- 
pensed the  warm  food  from  their  thresholds 
to  troopers  Avho  had  already  had  a comforta- 
ble soldiers’  breakfast  before  breaking  camp, 
but  who,  true  to  martial  instinct,  never  lost 
an  opportunity  to  eat  or  drink.  It  was  a 
happy  sight,  however,  and  not  without  its 
good  effect  on  the  mind  and  heart  of  every 
soldier,  to  see  the  little  ones  run  to  the  edge 
of  the  sidewalk  with  a plate  of  hot  biscuit  in 
one  hand  and  a glass  of  water  in  the  other 
and  a pretty  speech,  like  “ Mister,  have  a 
bite,  sir,”  and  without  dismounting  one 
thankfully  accepted  the  hospitality  and 
wondered  if  this  is  but  the  beginning  of 
the  cheerful  reception  which  awaited  the 
veterans  throughout  the  country.  [Sadly 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


315 


forgotten  in  a short  time  in  favor  of  rum-sell- 
ers, political  dead-beats  and  lmms.  Anchor.] 
It  was  new  and  unexpected,  and  awakened  a 
lively  appreciation  of  the  fact  that  the 
troopers  were  no  longer  in  an  enemy’s 
country. 

One  venerable  patriarch,  more  patriotic 
than  thoughtful,  and  unmindful  of  the  mar- 
tial distinctions  between  a mounted  squad- 
ron and  an  awkward  four-mule  team,  en- 
thusiastically received  the  troops  under  the 
joyous  folds  of  his  household’s  “ star  span- 
gled banner,”  and  even  after  the  column  had 
passed,  gaily  continued  waving  his  flag  at 
every  individual  mule  and  wagon-master  in 
the  baggage  train. 

The  whole  affair  was  simply  an  unavoid- 
able march  of  the  corps  through  Washington 
City,  hut  it  was  telegraphed  [with  the  usual 
accuracy  of  such  reports]  all  over  the  land 
that  Sheridan  had  held  a grand  preliminary 
review  of  his  cavalry. 

Tuesday,  May  23d,  dawned  bright  and 
pleasant,  and  none  who  saw  them  can  ever 
forget  the  scenes  of  that  day  at  the  Capitol. 
The  walks  were  just  drying  in  the  morning 
sun  after  a most  delightful  shower  and  the 
streets  of  the  city  presented  every  appearance 
of  a holiday.  There  was,  however,  a notable 


316 


T1IE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


deficiency  of  that  private  enterprise  which, 
had  this  grand  review  taken  place  in  any  other 
city,  would  have  exhibited  itself  in  numerous 
banners,  arches  and  every  possible  civic  adorn- 
ment. The  preparations  for  the  reception  of 
the  troops,  however,  seemed  to  have  been 
chiefly  made  by  those  expressly  directed  to  do 
so  by  the  officials  to  whom  the  charge  was 
confided.  This  was  appropriate,  but  the  fact 
involves  comparison  to  the  streets  of  blew 
York  city  on  the  occasion  of  some  simple  mil- 
itia parade. 

Ey  eight  o’clock  the  whole  of  Sheridan’s 
cavalry  were  formed  in  column  on  Capitol 
Hill,  the  head  resting  near  the  famous  “ Old 
Capitol.”  Hot  far  distant  was  the  infantry 
of  the  Yinth  Corps,  which,  by  the  order  of 
march,  was  immediately  to  follow  the  cavalry. 
The  old  Army  of  the  Potomac,  proper,  which 
comprised  the  chief  part  of  the  troops  re- 
viewed, was  now  marching  across  Long 
Bridge  and  so  forming  as  to  be  ready  to  as- 
sume the  appropriate  place  in  the  line.  All 
the  troops  were  to  move  in  heavy  column. 

Soon  Major-General  Meade,  the  comman- 
der of  this  day’s  review,  appeared  with  his 
staff  and  escort.  General  Sheridan,  the  day 
previous,  had  left  for  his  new  post  in  the 
Southwest;  and  General  Crook,  the  next 


SHERIDAN 'S  CA  VALR  Y. 


317 


ranking  officer,  had  been  allowed  a leave  of 
absence.  Thus  Major-General  Merritt,  whose 
acquaintance  the  reader  has  already  made, 
assumed  command  of  the  cavalry  corps  for  the 
review.  General  Custer  and  himself,  here- 
tofore only  brevet  major-generals,  had  just 
received  promotions  to  full  major-general- 
ships  : and  many  staff  officers,  through  Gen- 
eral Sheridan’s  thoughtfulness,  received  bre- 
vet appointments  on  that  happy  morning. 

Before  nine  o’clock  the  bugles  sounded,  and 
promptly  at  that  hour  the  commanding  gen- 
eral appeared  at  the  head  of  Pennsylvania 
Avenue. 

As  the  head  of  the  column  passed  the  Cap- 
itol every  niche  and  window,  every  conceiv- 
able standing  place  on  the  porticos  and  around 
the  pillars,  were  crowded  with  “ fair  nymphs 
and  well-dressed  youths.”  The  children  of 
the  puplic  schools  had  been  gathered  there  in 
holiday  attire ; and,  rich  with  gay  ribbons, 
fresh  toilets,  appropriate  mottoes  inscribed  on 
tasteful  banners,  and  with  flowery  garlands, 
they  had  assembled  to  do  honor  to  the  soldiery. 
What  big  heart,  throbbing  under  bronze  feat- 
ures, did  not  melt  at  this  unexpected  homage 
to  sturdy  veterans  from  childish  purity  and 
innocence.  There  seemed  no  limit  to  the  fra- 
grant luxury  of  the  spring  wreaths  and  bou- 


318 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


quets,  of  all  shapes  and  sizes,  rained  on  the 
head  of  the  column.  The  horsemen  caught 
some  as  they  flew  over  their  heads,  others  fell 
on  the  ground  and  were  trampled  under  the 
following  squadron ; so  that  soon  the  very 
street  over  which  they  rode  was  carpeted  with 
flowers.  Children’s  voices  broke  in  unison 
upon  the  cheerful  morning  air,  as  they  sang 
with  glee  the  words  of  happiness  and  wel- 
come. 

The  people  elsewhere  had  scarcely  believed 
that  so  immense  a military  display  could  be 
entirely  prompt  to  the  hour  appointed  and 
the  streets  were  as  yet  comparatively  quiet ; 
few  persons  had  assembled.  Indeed  it  would 
seem  that  high  officials  agreed  in  this  opinion, 
for  the  President,  Secretary  of  War  and  Gen- 
eral Grant  did  not  reach  the  reviewing  stand 
until  after  General  Meade  and  several  other 
officers  had  passed.  General  Sherman  acci- 
dentally rode  up  the  avenue  about  the  same 
time,  on  his  way  to  the  reviewing  stand. 
His  triumphal  ride  occurred  twenty-four 
hours  later,  when  he  rode  up  the  same  street 
at  the  head  of  those  armies  which  had  cam- 
paigned from  the  Mississippi  to  the  Potomac. 

The  cavalry,  as  well  as  the  other  troops, 
marched  in  close  column ; and  of  the  former 
not  the  least  noticeable  feature,  after  the 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


319 


many  days  of  heavy  work  they  had  so  re- 
cently experienced,  was  the  excellent  appear- 
ance and  condition  of  the  horses,  than  which 
nothing,  after  a march,  will  more  quickly  in- 
dicate the  efficiency  of  cavalry. 

Without  intending  to  give  a detailed  ac- 
count of  this  review,  the  cavalry  would  never 
excuse  my  omission  to  mention  that  no- 
torious incident  which  bereft  one  of  its  fa- 
vorite generals  of  the  dignified  circumstance 
of  martial  array,  and  carried  him  past  the  re- 
viewing officer,  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  his  Cabinet,  the  military,  civil  and 
diplomatic  functionaries  of  this  and  many 
other  countries,  not  in  the  stately  and  sedate 
manner  of  a warrior-chief  on  his  prancing 
charger,  but  shooting  like  the  wind.  On  an 
Arabian  race-horse,  with  disheveled  locks, 
uncovered  head,  aye,  lost  helmet,  dangling 
scabbard,  no  trusty  blade  at  his  shoulder,  but 
hands,  arms  and  hare  head  working  to  check 
the  frantic  steed,  the  pomp  of  generalship  was 
completely  enveloped  in  the  unexpected  char- 
acter of  John  Gilpin ! Was  this  a disap- 
pointment or  was  the  sensation  agreeable  ? 
Who  among  the  spectators  or  performers  at 
this  state  occasion  will  forget  “ how  Custer’s 
horse  ran  away  with  him  ? ” But  there  was 
nobody  hurt  and  the  review  continued. 


320 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


The  most  correct  schedule  of  this  Grand 
Reception  which  has  yet  been  published,  is  to 
be  found  in  the  Army  and  Navy  Journal  of 
27th  May,  1865,  and  these  cursory  sketches 
cannot  better  be  closed  than  by  acknowledg- 
ing indebtedness  to  that  number — 92(Yol. 
II.,  ISTo.  40,)  pages  628-29  and  632 — 
[where  this  program  is  to  be  found]  which 
constitutes  one  of  the  most  comprehensive  and 
interesting  exhibits  that  has  yet  been  pub- 
lished regarding  a martial  occasion,  which 
for  the  present — -thank  God— practically 
ended  the  career  of  the  American  armies. 
[Remember  these  pages  were  thrown  together 
in  the  summer  of  1865.  Anchor.] 

A few  days  after  the  review,  the  cavalry 
removed  its  camp  again  from  Bladensburg  to 
the  Alexandria  and  Fairfax  Court  House 
turnpike.  As  a corps  it  retained  its  nominal 
organization  for  some  time  afterwards;  but 
its  regiments  were  consolidated  or  mustered 
out  of  the  service  as  fast  as  the  orders  and  the 
necessary  papers  could  be  prepared.  A 
brigade  was  placed  en  route  to  Missouri, 
where  it  was  supposed  it  would  soon  follow 
Sheridan  to  Texas ; another  was  sent  to  Ken- 
tucky; another  to  West  Virginia.  Several 
Hew  York  and  Pennsylvania  regiments 
were,  after  some  little  difficulty,  consolidated 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


321 


with  others  from  the  same  States,  and  some 
were  likewise  ordered  home  to  be  mustered 
out. 

On  the  Fourth  of  July,  1865,  only  one 
small  brigade  was.  left  in  camp  to  represent 
the  corps.  Meanwhile  General  Crook  had 
been  ordered  ISTorth  to  await  further  orders; 
Generals  Merritt  and  Custer  had  left  for  the 
Southwest,  under  orders,  immediately  after 
the  review.  In  the  course  of  the  last  month 
or  six  weeks  of  its  life,  therefore,  necessitated 
by  the  various  changes,  the  cavalry  corps  came 
under  the  command,  successively,  of  Generals 
Crook,  Brevet  Major-Generals  Devin  and 
Davies,  Brigadier-General  Wells,  Brevet 
Brigadier-Generals  Thompson  and  Avery. 

By  the  middle  of  July  the  last  regiment 
was  en  route  for  home,  the  last  staff  officer  had 
been  ordered  away,  and  the  books,  papers  and 
headquarters  establishment  of  the  cavalry 
corps  were  engulfed  in  the  depths  of  the 
quartermaster’s  department.  Mo  formal  order 
of  the  Secretary  of  War  had  disbanded  it, 
hut  Sheridan’s  cavalry  was  forever  dis- 
persed. * 

* At  the  foot  of  this  Chapter  was  the  following 
appendix  in  the  pamphlet  of  Anchor  mentioned  at 
Chapter  VIII : 

Regarding  the  conference  (informal)  at  Appo- 
mattox Court  House  between  a few  of  the  promi- 
21 


322 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


nent  generals  of  each  army,  of  which  mention  is 
made  in  Chapter  II.  (original  Chapter  XII.),  [i.  e. 
Chapter  X.  of  this  volume ] there  are  to  be  inserted 
the  following  facts  : 

The  conference  at  Appomattox  Court  House, 
about  eleven  o’clock  on  the  morning  of  the  9th,  was 
merely  to  arrange  the  suspension  of  hostilities,  until 
Generals  Grant  and  Lee  could  adjust  the  terms  of 
surrender.  Among  the  Union  generals  present  were 
Sheridan,  Crook,  Merritt,  Ord,  Griffin,  Barlow,  Gib- 
bon, Ayres  and  Forsythe,  and  among  the  Rebel  gen- 
erals were  Longstreet,  Heth,  Wilcox  and  Gordon  ; 
“ Rooney  ” Lee  was  near  by,  but  did  not  join  the 
circle.  The  tone  of  conversation  at  this  interview 
was  very  friendly  and  both  sides  appeared  glad  to 
see  each  other.  [Rebels  and  Southerners  were  gen- 
erally always  amiable  and  conciliatory  when  they 
had  points  to  gain  and  Northerners  to  take  in  ; Timoe 
Danaos,”  etc.,  etc.,  a trite  proverb,  always  appo- 
site in  every  place,  etc.]  Many  mutual  inquiries 
were  made  after  old  friends  and  acquaintances. 
Heth  said  that  he  would  rather  fight  the  poli- 
ticians who  brought  on  these  difficulties,  than 
the  soldiers  arrayed  against  them.  Gordon  said 
that  for  himself  he  had  fought  conscientiously 
and  had  established  somewhat  of  a reputation 
as  a fighting  man,  but  had  he  known  that  his 
friends  would  have  been  received  so  kindly  and 
treated  so  magnanimously  by  their  enemies,  he 
would  have  long  since  laid  down  his  arms.  Wilcox, 
alluding  to  an  obsolete  idea  entertained  by  some  of 
the  Southern  people,  facetiously  inquired  how  high 
the  grass  had  grown  in  the  streets  of  New  York  ? 
[IT.  E.  T.] 

Copy  from  a New  York  daily  of  Sept.  10th  or  11th 
inst.,  1862 : 

(From  the  Richmond  Dispatch,  Sept.  8th,  1862.) 

“ The  following  named  Yankee  citizen  and  negro 
prisoners  were  received  at  the  C.  S.  prison,  corner  of 
Cary  and  Twentieth  streets,  Saturday,  Sept.  6th, 
from  Gordonsville,  via  Central  Railroad,  at  nine 
o’clock.  * * * (Here  follow  the  names  of  fifty- 
eight  officers,  including  H,  E.  Tremain,  A,  A.  A.  G., 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


323 


Sickles’  Brigade.)  * * * Besides  these  there 

were  about  fifty-seven  members  of  the  1st,  2d  and 
3d  Virginia  regiments (Pierpoint’s  Sattelites)  mostly 
with  very  outlandish  names  for  persons  claiming  to 
he  Virginian  Volunteers.  The  following  citizens 
were  also  in  the  group,  having  been  found  in  sus- 
picious company,  viz.  : (7  names.) 

Negroes. — Tann  Genns,  from  New  York,  free  boy  ; 
Geo.  Jordan,  do.,  Pennsylvania  ; Tom  Jackson,  do., 
New  York,  do  ; Esau,  slave  of  Wm.  Bowen,  who  has 
taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  Lincoln’s  govern- 
ment ; Chas.  Montgomery,  free,  from  Washington  ; 
R.  B.  Wilson,  free,  Ohio  ; and  John  Williams,  free, 
from  Alexandria,  Va. 

All  the  white  men  in  the  above  lot  ivho  bore  com- 
missions are  considered  as  belonging  to  Pope's  army, 
and  are  therefore  not  prisoners  of  war."  Were 

HOSTAGES — to  Suffer  DEATH — by  lot— BY  HANGING.  „Jg3J 


3 24 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


CHAPTER  XIII  * 

The  Appomattox  Story  from  the  Record. 

Supplementary  Chapter  to  the  “Last  Hours 
of  Sheridan’s  Cavalry.” 

* * * * * “ And  history  must 

be  received  on  trust— is  it  not  so  ? ” Lessing. 

A chapter  written  thirty-five  years  later.— Compilations  from 
official  reports  of  commands  engaged  at  Appomattox.— De- 
scriptions of  the  fighting  there  as  told  by  combatants. — Con- 
temporary history  from  both  the  opposing  armies.— Lee’s 
purpose  by  that  battle. — The  possible  escape  of  his  army 
designed  when  he  rode  away  to  meet  Grant. — He  then  re- 
ceives Grant’s  message  declining  to  meet  him  except  for  the 
purpose  of  an  absolute  surrender.— The  escape  frustrated. — 
Lee  acquiesces  in  the  truce  secured  by  his  fighting  generals, 
procures  a further  truce  from  Meade,  and  then  seeks  Grant 
for  the  surrender. — See  also  Chapter  X. 

It  is  not  strange  that  the  foregoing 
“ notes  ” on  the  “ Last  Hours  of  Sheridan’s 
Cavalry  ” are  in  many  respects  unsatisfactory 
to  the  Editor  of  The  Bugle,  himself  a partici- 
pant in  the  “ Eleven  Days  Campaign  ” to 
which  they  relate.  They  were  idly  jotted 
down  during  the  unoccupied  moments  of 

* This  Chapter  is  a continuation  of  Chapter  X.  as 
stated  in  note  at  page  264. 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


325 


camp-life  in  the  expiring  days  of  1865  as  a 
convenience  for  subsequent  reference ; and 
then  with  resumption  of  the  pursuits  of  peace 
consigned  to  the  garret,  with  other  army  lug- 
gage. The  subsequent  inexorable  demands 
of  the  Bread-and-Butter  brigade  would  have 
kept  them  iu  that  ambiguous  warehouse,  ex- 
cept that  “ Anchor,”  whose  facile  pen  sought 
every  source  of  possible  information,  rescued 
them,  and  with  more  or  less  “ editing  ” 
started  them  upon  a printed  career. 

After  quite  an  extensive  roaming,*  and 
the  lapse  of  a generation,  they  were  re-ani- 
mated by  The  (Maine)  Bugle.  The  revivi- 
fication is  mingled,  of  course,  with  regrets  for 
their  omissions,  if  not  with  censure  for  their 
obvious  faults. 

To  repair  damages,  however,  by  the  dubi- 
ous process  of  “ Recollections  of  a Veteran” 
would  be  to  add  to  the  fancies  which  so  often 
pass  as  “ history,”  and  to  mutilate  pages  that 
have  already  had  their  extended  days  of  con- 
demnation and  reward. 

* They  were  published  in  pamphlet  by  “ Anchor,” 
from  whom  they  had  appeared  in  the  “ Army  and 
Navy  Journal  ” in  1871 ; and  in  1884,  they  were  re- 
published at  Edinburgh  by  the  “ Clarendon  Histori- 
cal Society,” — “ The  Bugle  ” republishing  them  again, 
beginning  with  its  issue  of  April,  1898. 


326 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


But  “ Appomattox,”  cries  the  Maine 
Bugle’s  editor,  “ Appomattox  ” is  not  told — 
why  not  tell  it  out?  Write  me  that  chapter 
over  again,  is  the  request  received.  Such  a 
task  would  not  bo  the  “ notes,”  and  so  would 
be  out  of  place,  as  neither  contemporaneous 
history,  nor  reliable  beyond  the  treacheries  of 
memory.  Besides,  the  limited  observation  of 
a single  rider  going  here  and  there  upon  spe- 
cial business  during  a battle  may  perchance 
be  even  of  less  consequence  than  that  of  the 
ubiquitous  newspaper  man  who  is  proud  to 
sketch  — perhaps  at  the  home  office, — in  the 
role  of  “ our  special  artist  on  the  spot.” 

My  response  therefore  to  The  Bugle’s 
requisition  for  a “ supplement  ” will  be  my 
quest  to  consult  the  “ records.” 

The  latter  are  very  incomplete ; and  on  the 
part  of  Confederates  are  necessarily  unsatis- 
factory. The  “ records  ” embrace  the  capitu- 
lation which  the  world  is  accustomed  to  re- 
ceive as  a comprehensive  description  of  “ Ap- 
pomattox.” The  “ notes,”  and  The  Bugle’s 
Memories,  however,  call  up  the  collisions  of 
battalions,  the  charges  of  squadrons,  the 
wrecking  of  guns,  the  wavering  to  and  fro  of 
mighty  lines  of  men,  the  din  of  battle,  the 
horror  and  the  picturesque  of  war.  But  the 
romance  of  “ history  ” has  set  out  “ Appomat- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


327 


tox  ” as  a sort  of  Warrior’s  Paradise,  where 
two  people  came  together  by  appointment,  and 
wrote  polite  letters  to  each  other,  and  bid 
their  respective  followers  to  feast  each  other 
ere  they  ride  home  to  make  war  no  more. 

This  conception  of  “ Appomattox  ” is  er- 
roneous. Consummate  military  skill,  dex- 
terous fencing  for  position,  the  most  vigorous 
blows  that  either  combatant  was  at  the 
moment  capable  of  delivering,  characterized 
the  conflict  from  the  dawn  of  day  until  com- 
bat was  suspended  by  accepted  flags  of  truce, 
waved  long  before  the  terms  or  letters  of  sur- 
render were  agreed  upon. 

Instead  of  a lining  up,  a truce,  a negotia- 
tion and  a capitulation,  there  was  an  ugly  bat- 
tle in  which  many  thousands  were  engaged  on 
each  side,  and  more  thousands — thanks  to  the 
skill  of  Sheridan — were  arriving  to  engage 
in.  This  battle  raged  for  several  hours;  and 
on  the  part  of  the  Confederate  army,  as  then 
apparent  to  the  participants,  and  as  evidenced 
now  by  the  recently  published  “ Official  Rec- 
ords,” had  two  distinct  purposes,  namely,  to 
escape  with  as  much  of  that  army  as  was  pos- 
sible; and  to  surrender  as  little  of  it,  and  on 
as  favorable  terms  as,  by  negotiations  yet  to 
be  had , would  prove  to  be  possible. 

* See  pages  381,  382,  433,  434. 


328 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


THE  NIGIIT  BEFORE  APPOMATTOX. 

The  wonderful  battle  and  achievements  of 
the  evening  of  the  eighth  of  April,  furnish  the 
key  to  the  battle  of  Appomattox.  That  was 
the  evening  of  the  day  that  Lee  had  written 
to  Grant  the  letter  concluding  with  the 
phrase : “ I cannot  therefore  meet  you  with 
a view  to  surrender  the  army  of  Northern 
Virginia.”  Of  course,  under  the  circum- 
stances, there  was  no  change  in  the  orders  to 
a single  soldier  of  the  Union  forces,  and  there- 
fore no  cessation  of  “ the  effusion  of  blood.” 

After  Grant,  however,  heard  of  the  even- 
ing and  night  battle  of  April  eighth,  notwith- 
standing Lee’s  letter,  he  wrote  at  midnight  to 
Secretary  Stanton : “ I feel  very  confident 
of  receiving  the  surrender  of  Lee  and  what 
remains  of  his  army  to-morrow.”  Sheridan 
at  9 :20  o’clock  that  evening,  and  before  his 
battle  had  fairly  stopped  for  the  night,  had 
written  Grant : “ I do  not  think  Lee  means 

to  surrender  until  compelled  to  do  sod’  Such 
“ compulsion  ” was  then  in  progress. 

The  chief  of  artillery  of  Lee’s  army  says 
that  it  was  about  one  o’clock  on  the  morning 
of  the  ninth  when  the  results  of  this  remark- 
able night  battle,  fought  by  Custer,  and  se- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


329 


cured  by  Smith’s  remarkable  night  advance, 
were  made  known  to  General  Lee. 

This  is  how  the  next  day  but  one  (April 
10th)  General  William  1ST.  Pendleton,  Lee’s 
chief  of  artillery,  freshly  tells  the  story  of  it 
in  his  official  report  dated  the  “ day  after  the 
surrender  ” (46  Vol.  Part.  I.  Official  Rec- 
ords of  the  Rebellion  p.  1282) : * * * “ The 
evening  of  the  eighth  saw  the  head  of  our  col- 
umn near  Appomattox  Court  blouse.  I 
pushed  on  in  person  to  communicate  with 
General  Walker,  and  found  him  with  his 
command  parked  about  two  miles  beyond  the 
Court  House  on  the  road  to  Appomattox  Sta- 
tion, Southside  Railroad.  While  I was  with 
him  an  attack  wholly  unexpected  was 
made  by  the  enemy  on  his  defence- 
less camp.  To  avert  immediate  disaster 
from  this  attack  demanded  the  exercise 
of  all  our  energies.  It  was,  however,  at  once 
effectually  repelled  (?)  by  the  aid  especially 
of  the  two  gallant  artillery  companies  of  Cap- 
tains Walker  and  Dickinson,  under  com- 
mand of  the  former,  which  being  at  the  time 
unequipped  as  artillerists,  were  armed  with 
muskets  as  a guard.  They  met  the  enemy’s 
sharpshooters  ( ? — they  were  Custer’s  dis- 
mounted cavalrymen)  in  a brushwood  near, 
and  enabled  a number  of  General  Walker’s 


330 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


pieces  to  play  with  effect  while  the  remainder 
of  the  train  was  withdrawn.  After  a sharp 
skirmish  this  attack  seemed  remedied,  and  I 
started  back,  having  received  by  courier  a 
note  requesting  my  presence  with  the  com- 
manding general.  When  I had  reached  a 
point  a few  hundred  yards  from  the  Court 
House,  the  enemy’s  cavalry,  which  had  under 
cover  of  dusk  gained  the  road,  came  rushing 
along  tiring  upon  all  in  the  road,  and  I only 
escaped  being  shot  or  captured  by  leaping  my 
horse  over  the  fence  and  skirting  along  the 
left  of  that  road  toward  our  column  then  ad- 
vancing, and  until  I reached  a point  where 
the  enemy’s  charge  was  checked. 

While  these  operations  were  in  progress 
there  was  much  noise  of  engines  upon  the 
Southside  Railroad.  From  this  circum- 
stance, and  from  the  enemy’s  using  artillery 
in  the  attack  above  described,  I became  satis- 
fied that  the  attacking  body  which  had  at  first 
seemed  to  me  small  was  a large  and  accumu- 
lating force,  and  the  inference  became  in- 
evitable that  General  Walker  and  his  guns 
must  be,  if  they  had  not  already  been  cap- 
tured. These  facts  and  inferences  were  re- 
reported to  the  commanding  general  on  my 
reaching  his  (R.  E.  Lee’s)  headquarters 
about  one  A.  M.  of  the  9th. 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


331 


Movements  at  daylight  confirmed  all  that 
had  been  thus  inferred.  The  enemy  was 
found  in  heavy  force  on  our  front,  and  dispo- 
sitions were  promptly  made  for  a fierce  en- 
counter. The  artillery  participated  with 
alacrity,  with  cavalry  and  infantry,  in  a 
spirited  attack  upon  the  enemy’s  advancing 
columns,  and  promptly  succeeded  in  arresting 
their  advance. 

Two  guns  were  captured  from  the  enemy 
and  a number  of  prisoners  taken ; but  in  spite 
of  this  the  conviction  had  become  established 
in  the  minds  of  a large  majority  of  onr  best 
officers  and  men  that  the  army  in  its  extremely 
reduced  state,  could  not  he  extricated  from 
its  perilous  condition,  surrounded  by  the  im- 
mense force  of  the  enemy,  and  without  sub- 
sistence for  men  or  animals,  unless  with 
frightful  bloodshed,  and  to  scarcely  any  pos- 
sible purpose,  as  its  remnant,  if  thus  rescued, 
must  be  too  much  enfeebled  for  efficient  ser- 
vice. In  view  of  these  convictions,  known  of 
in  part  by  him,  and  of  all  the  facts  before  his 
own  mind,  the  commanding  general,  before 
the  battle  had  raged  extensively,  made  ar- 
rangements [ ?]  for  averting  hostilities.  * * * 
Of  two  hundred  and  fifty  field  pieces  belong- 
ing to  the  army  on  the  lines  near  Richmond 
* Not  then. 


332 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


and  Petersburg,  only  sixty-one  remained  and 
thirteen  caissons.” 

General  Lee's  Plan  for  the  Battle  of 
April  1STintii.  His  own  Account  of  it. 

General  Pendleton’s  report  tersely  indi- 
cates a fierce  combat ; but  not  altogether  an 
unexpected  one.  Lee  expected  to  march  his 
army,  then  reduced  to  two  organized  corps 
under  Longstreet  and  Gordon,  “ on  the  road 
to  Appomattox  Court  House.  Thence  its 
march  was  ordered  by  Campbell  Court 
through  Pittsylvania  toward  Danville.” 

The  official  report  of  Gen.  E.  E.  Lee,  dated 
April  12th,  1865,  at  Appomattox,  further 
says : “ The  roads  were  wretched  and  the  pro- 
gress slow.  By  great  efforts  the  head  of  the 
column  reached  Appomattox  Court  House  on 
the  evening  of  the  8th,  and  the  troops  were 
halted  for  rest.  The  march  ivas  ordered  to  he 
resumed  at  one  A.  M.  on  the  9th.  Eitz  Lee 
with  the  cavalry  supported  by  Gordon  was 
ordered  to  drive  the  army  from  his  front , 
wheel  to  the  left,  and  cover  the  passage  of 
the  trains ; while  Longstreet,  who  from  Rice’s 
Station  had  formed  the  rear  guard,  should 
close  up  and  hold  the  position.  Two  battal- 
ions of  artillery  and  the  ammunition  wagons 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


333 


were  directed  to  accompany  the  army,  the 
rest  of  the  artillery  and  wagons  to  move  to- 
wards Lynchburg. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  night  the  enemy 
attacked  Walker’s  artillery  train  near  Ap- 
pomattox Station,  on  the  Lynchburg  Rail- 
road, and  were  repelled  ( ?).  Shortly  after- 
ward, their  cavalry  dashed  toward  the  Court 
House  until  halted  by  our  line.  During  the 
night  there  were  indications  of  a large  force 
massing  on  our  left  and  front.  Eitz  Lee 
was  directed  to  ascertain  its  strength  and  to 
suspend  his  advance  until  daylight  if  neces- 
sary. About  5 A.  M.  on  the  9th,  with  Gordon 
on  his  left,  he  moved  forward  and  opened 
the  way  ( ?).  A heavy  force  of  the  enemy 
was  discovered  opposite  Gordon’s  right,  which, 
moving  in  the  direction  of  Appomattox  Court 
House,  drove  back  the  left  of  the  cavalry  and 
threatened  to  cut  off  Gordon  from  Longstreet, 
his  cavalry  at  the  same  time  threatened  to 
envelop  his  left  flank.  Gordon  withdrew 
across  the  Appomattox  River,  and  the  cavalry 
advanced  on  the  Lynchburg  road  and  became 
separated  from  the  army.”  [An  intentional 
“separation,”  see  the  cavalry  reports.] 

“ Learning  the  condition  of  affairs  (i.  e.  of 
Gordon’s  repulse  and  Eitz  Lee’s  Escape) 
on  the  lines  (i.  e.  in  front  of  Humphreys’ 


334; 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


2nd  Corps),  where  I had  gone  under  the 
expectation  of  meeting  General  Grant  (of 
which  Grant,  however,  was  yet  unaware)  to 
learn  definitely  the  terms  he  proposed  in  a 
communication  received  from  him  on  the  8th, 
in  the  event  of  the  surrender  of  the  army,  I re- 
quested a suspension  of  hostilities  until  these 
terms  could  be  arranged.  In  the  interview 
which  occurred  with  General  Grant  in  com- 
pliance with  my  requests,  terms  having  been 
agreed  upon,  I surrendered  that  portion  of 
the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  which  was  on 
the  field,  with  its  arms,  artillery  and  wagon 
trains,  the  officers  and  men  to  he  paroled,  re- 
taining their  side-arms  and  private  effects. 
I deemed  this  course  the  best  under  all  the 
circumstances  by  which  we  were  surrounded.” 

“ On  the  morning  of  the  9th,  according  to 
the  reports  of  the  ordnance  officers,  there 
were  seven  thousand  eight  hundred  ninety- 
two  organized  infantry  with  arms,  with  an 
average  of  seventy-five  rounds  of  ammunition 
per  man.  The  artillery,  though  reduced  to 
sixty-three  pieces,  with  ninety-three  rounds  of 
ammunition  was  sufficient.  These  comprised 
all  the  supplies  of  ordnance  that  could  be  re- 
lied on  in  the  State  of  Virginia. 

I have  no  accurate  report  of  the  cavalry, 
but  believe  it  did  not  exceed  two  thousand  one 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


335 


hundred  effective  men.  (See  report  of  the 
numbers  paroled.)  The  enemy  was  more  than 
five  times  our  numbers.”  * * * “If  we  could 
have  forced  our  way  one  day  longer  it  Avould 
have  been  at  a great  sacrifice  of  life,  and  at  its 
end  I did  not  see  how  a surrender  could  have 
been  avoided.  We  had  no  subsistence  for  man 
or  horse,  and  it  could  not  be  gathered  in  the 
country.  The  supplies  ordered  to  Pamplin’s 
Station  from  Lynchburg  could  not  reach  us, 
and  the  men,  deprived  of  food  and  sleep  for 
many  days,  were  worn  out  and  exhausted. 
With  great  respect,  your  obedient  servant. 
E.  E.  Lee,  General.” 

Thus  before  be  left  the  scene  of  the  final 
battle  and  surrender  did  General  Lee  make 
the  official  record  of  all  matter  then  deemed 
by  him  of  sufficient  consequence  to  report  to 
the  fugitive  President  of  the  Confederacy. 
No  mention  is  made  of  the  request  upon  Gen- 
eral Grant  for  rations,  nor  of  the  consequent 
fact  that  before  the  sun  had  set  upon  the  sur- 
rendered, the  supply  train  of  the  Union  forces 
was  distributing  rations  in  the  enemy’s  camp. 
Perhaps  it  was  taken  for  granted  that  prison- 
ers were  to  be  subsisted.  But  there  were  no 
guards,  and  the  army  was  never  treated  as 
prisoners.  All  men  were  on  parole;  and,  as 


336 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


nothing  was  more  natural  than  that  General 
Grant  and  his  soldiers  should  ration  their  foe 
subdued,  nothing  was  perhaps  more  natural 
than  that  this  should  be  expected;  and  so  did 
not  become  apparently  a military  circum- 
stance worth  official  mention ! 

The  day  before  this  report  was  dated,  Gen- 
eral Grant,  as  he  was  leaving  for  Washington, 
wrote  back  from  Burke’s  Station  (April  11th) 
ordering  the  destruction  of  such  captured 
“ caissons  and  small  arms  as  cannot  be 
moved  ” owing  to  “ the  excessive  bad  state  of 
the  roads but  in  the  same  order,  with  his 
natural  benevolence,  he  directed:  “Leave 
wagons  for  the  country  people  to  pick  up.” 

It  is  noteworthy  that  General  Lee’s  figures 
of  the  strength  of  his  army  on  the  9th  are  out 
of  harmony  with  the  facts  reported  “ with 
the  rolls  of  officers  and  men  of  Lee’s  army,” 
as  forwarded  by  Grant  to  the  Secretary  of 
War.  Among  these  papers,  the  records  of 
General  George  H.  Sharpe,  of  Gen.  Grant’s 
staff,  who  superintended  the  paroling,  state 
that  “ summaries  have  been  made  by  actual 
count  of  each  command,  and  will  be  found  to 
accompany  the  papers,  the  whole  number  of 
officers  and  men  being  a little  over  26,000.” 
(Serial  Ho.  97  Off.  Bee.  Beb.,  page  852. 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY.  337 

This  of  course  did  not  include  those  who  had 
then  escaped.)* 

FURTHER  CONFEDERATE  NARRATIONS. 

It  is  a curious  coincidence  that  while  Gen. 
Lee  was  writing  his  report,  Mrs.  Jefferson 
Davis  was  advised  by  a friendly  source  from 
Greensborough,  1ST.  C.,  April  12th,  that  “ the 
loss  of  an  army  is  not  the  loss  of  the  cause. 
There  is  a great  deal  of  fight  in  us  yet ; ” and 
that  on  the  same  day  Jefferson  Davis’s  private 
Secretary,  Mr.  Burton  H.  Harrison,  writes 
to  Mrs.  Davis  an  interesting  narrative  of  what 
Mr.  Davis  then  understood  to  be  the  situation. 
He  says : 

“ The  apparent  slackening  of  Grant’s  pres- 
sure upon  General  Lee,  of  which  I telegraphed 
you,  is  explained  by  the  fact  that  our  ar- 
tillery had  all  (?)  been  captured  but  two 
pieces,  which  escaped  by  taking  the  wrong 
road.  It  was  lost  in  whole  battalions,  guns, 
officers  and  men,  Llaskell’s  and  ILuger’s  going 
first.  The  infantry  was  dispersed  all  over 
the  country ; the  men  had  thrown  away  their 
arms,  and  were  going  home  to  take  care  of 
themselves.  The  cavalry  seems  to  have  taken 
to  their  heels.  The  heavy  firing  had  ceased, 
therefore,  and  as  nothing  like  sounds  of  bat- 
* See  this  subject  discussed  in  Appendix  I,  page  465. 


338 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


tie  could  be  heard  in  the  country  round  about, 
we  inferred  that  the  situation  had  been  im- 
proved. Imagine  then  our  astonishment  and 
dismay  when  the  President  was  summoned 
from  dinner  on  Monday  (10th)  to  be  in- 
formed of  the  surrender  of  General  Lee,  of 
himself  and  all  his  infantry  on  the  9th,  at  or 
near  Appomattox  Court  House.  The  mes- 
senger was  an  old  citizen  of  the  country,  who 
stated  that  he  saw  General  Rosser  and  was 
told  that  General  Lee  was  in  Grant’s  tent  (as 
he  was  not)  at  that  time.  The  same  in- 
formation as  to  the  result  reached  us  from 
several  other  sources  before  night.  A Cabinet 
Council  was  held  immediately,  and  a march 
on  this  place  decided  on.  We  started  on  a 
special  train  about  midnight,  bringing  all  the 
cabinet  except  General  Breckenridge,  who  had 
not  yet  reached  Danville,  and  who  has  not 
joined  us  up  to  this  time.  Our  train  was 
very  slow,  and  finally  reached  Greensborough 
late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  11th,  just  escap- 
ing a raiding  party  (which)  struck  the  rail- 
road an  hour  after  we  had  passed  the  point. 
* * * We  are  a fixture  for  the  present, 

and  are  comfortably  fixed.” 

General  Lomax  of  the  Confederate  Army, 
who  had  escaped  Appomattox,  reported  also 
that  “ few  cavalry  surrendered.”  It  was  ob- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


339 


viously  a Confederate  intention  to  have  as 
little  cavalry  as  possible  included  in  the 
apparently  approaching  surrender.  It  was 
hoped  that  the  Confederate  cavalry  would 
join  General  Johnston’s  army  then  in  iSTorth 
Carolina. 

General  Fitzhugh  Lee,  commanding  the 
Confederate  Cavalry,  calls  favorable  attention 
to  his  three  division  commanders,  Generals 
W.  H.  F.  Lee,  Rosser  and  Munford,  and  adds 
that  “ the  former  was  detached  from  the  main 
command,  being  the  senior  division  com- 
mander, whenever  it  became  necessary  for  a 
force  to  operate  separately.”  * * * 

“ lie  surrendered  with  the  army  at  Appomat- 
tox Court  House.  The  other  two  succeeded 
in  getting  out,  and  immediately  made  arrange- 
ments to  continue  the  struggle  until  the  capit- 
ulation of  General  Johnston’s  army  brought 
the  convincing  proof  that  a further  resistance 
was  useless.” 

This  report  was  dated  Richmond,  April 
2 2d,  1865,  and  gives  the  most  comprehen- 
sive though  meager  account  furnished  by  the 
Confederate  military  sources  of  the  Appo- 
tomattox  battle.  It  says : 

THE  ACCOUNT  OF  GENERAL  FITZHUGH  LEE. 

“ During  the  evening  of  the  8th  I received 


340 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


orders  to  move  the  cavalry  corps  to  the  front, 
and  to  report  in  person  to  the  commanding 
general.  Upon  arriving  at  his  headquarters 
I found  General  Longstreet  there,  and  we 
were  soon  after  joined  by  General  Gordon. 
The  condition  of  our  situation  was  explained 
by  the  commanding  general  to  us  as  the  com- 
manders of  his  three  corps,  and  the  corre- 
spondence between  General  Grant  and  him- 
self, as  far  as  it  had  been  progressed,  was  laid 
before  us.  It  was  decided  that  I should  at- 
tack the  enemy’s  cavalry  at  daylight,  then 
reported  as  obstructing  our  further  march; 
Gordon  was  to  support  me,  and  in  case  noth- 
ing but  cavalry  were  discovered  we  were  to 
clear  it  from  our  route  and  open  a way  for 
our  remaining  troops;  but  in  case  they  were 
supported  by  heavy  bodies  of  infantry  the 
commanding  general  should  be  at  once  noti- 
fied, in  order  that  a flag  of  truce  should  be 
sent  to  accede  to  the  only  alternative  left  us. 
The  enemy  were  enabled  to  take  position 
across  our  line  of  march  by  moving  up  from 
Appomattox  Station,  which  they  reached 
earlier  than  our  main  advance,  in  consequence 
of  our  march  being  retarded  by  our  wagon 
trains.” 

“ At  daybreak  on  the  9th  Gordon’s  com- 
mand, numbering  about  1,600  muskets,  was 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


341 


formed  in  line  of  battle  half  a mile  west  of 
Appomattox  Court  House,  on  the  Lynchburg 
road.  The  cavalry  corps  was  formed  on  his 
right,  W.  LI.  F.  Lee’s  division  being  nearest 
the  infantry,  Rosser’s  in  the  center,  and  Mun- 
ford’s  on  the  extreme  right,  making  a mount- 
ed force  of  about  2,400  men.  Our  attach 
was  made  about  sunrise,  and  the  enemy’s 
cavalry  quickly  driven  out  of  the  way , with 
a loss  of  two  guns  and  a number  of  prisoners. 
The  arrival  at  this  time  of  two  corps  of  their 
infantry  necessitated  the  retiring  of  our  lines, 
during  which,  and  knowing  what  would  be 
the  result,  I withdrew  the  cavalry,  W.  H.  F. 
Lee  retiring  toward  our  rear,  and  Rosser  and 
Hunford  out  toward  Lynchburg,  having 
cleared  that  road  of  the  enemy.”  * 

“ LTpon  hearing  that  the  Army  of  North- 
ern Virginia  had  surrendered,  the  men  were 
generally  dispersed  and  rode  off  to  their 
homes,  subject  to  reassembling  for  a con- 

* If  this  remark  is  intended  to  imply  that  the 
Lynchburg  Pike  was  so  free  that  any  Confederate 
Cavalry  marched  on  it  continuously  out  of  Appo- 
mattox, the  General  is  mistaken.  His  escaping 
columns,  probably  Rosser  and  Munford,  as  men- 
tioned, passed  around  the  left  of  the  Union  lines, 
regaining  the  Pike  at  the  Union  rear  where  small 
bodies  of  the  Union  cavalry  had  first  been  sent  as  a 
guard,  and  during  the  battle  were  increased  to  a 
brigade  or  more,  with  orders  to  attack,  and  if  possi- 
ble to  detain  the  enemy  in  their  presence.  It  was 


342 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


tinuation  of  the  struggles.  I rode  out  in  per- 
son with  a portion  of  W.  H.  F.  Lee’s  division, 
the  nearest  to  me  at  that  time,  and  previous  to 
the  negotiations  between  the  commanders  of 
the  two  armies.  It  will  be  recalled  that  my 
action  was  in  accordance  with  the  views  I had 
expressed  in  the  council  the  night  before — 
that  if  a surrender  was  compelled  the  next 
day,  I ivould  try  to  extricate  the  cavalry,  pro- 
viding it  could  he  done  without  comprising * 
the  action  of  the  commanding  general , but 
that  I Avould  not  avail  myself  of  a cessation 

this  difficult  task  of  extension  over  the  left  and  rear 
which  was  being  pursued  by  Generals  Davies  and 
Mackenzie  under  Crook,  that  weakened  the  lines  in 
front  of  Gordon.  The  Lynchburg  Pike  itself  was 
used  by  Crook  at  all  times  after  sunrise,  and  was 
finally  reoccupied  in  force  by  the  24th  Corps  infantry 
as  it  was  encountered  by  Gordon.  No  Confederate 
troops  had  meanwhile  passed  along  it.  The  writer 
was  upon  and  crossing  and  recrossing  the  “Pike” 
continuously  during  the  battle  communicating  with 
Crook's  brigades,  and  saw  the  Confederate  cavalry 
pass  around  instead  of  upon  that  highway. 

Crook’s  communications  with  his  brigades,  which 
were  on  both  sides  of  the  “Pike,”  were  at  no  time 
sundered ; so  that  it  is  a misapprehension  to  con- 
clude that  this  “road”  was  “cleared.”  I confess 
that  when  I “ occupied  ” it  at  one  point  with  only 
an  orderly,  and  saw  Gordon's  columns  approach,  I 
myself  momentarily  thought  it  was  “cleared”  of 
Union  troopers;  but  when  soon  thereafter  I was 
ordered  to  follow  it  with  an  order  to  the  general  at 
the  southern  or  rather  the  western  front,  I found 
it  thoroughly  occupied  by  us  at  a point  quite  south 
of  where  the  enemy  encountered  the  24th  Corps  in- 
fantry. 


Compromising. 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


343 


of  hostilities  pending  the  existence  of  a flag 
of  truce.  I had  an  understanding  with  Gen- 
eral Gordon  that  he  should  communicate  to 
you  the  information  of  the  presence  of  the 
enemy’s  infantry  upon  the  road  in  our  front.” 

“ Apart  from  the  fond,  though  forlorn, 
hope  that  future  operations  were  still  in  store 
for  the  cavalry,  I was  desirous  that  they 
should  not  he  included  in  the  capitulations , 
because  the  ownership  of  their  horses  was 
vested  in  themselves,  and  I deemed  it  doubt- 
ful that  terms  would  be  offered  allowing  such 
ownership  to  continue.  A few  days  con- 
vinced me  of  the  impracticability  of  longer 
entertaining  such  hopes,  and  I rode  into  the 
Federal  lines  and  accepted  myself  the  terms 
offered  the  officers  of  the  Army  of  Forth  Vir- 
ginia. My  cavalry  are  being  paroled  at  the 
nearest  places  for  such  purposes  in  their  coun- 
ties. 

The  burning  by  the  enemy  of  all  my  re- 
tained reports,  records,  and  data  of  every 
kind  near  Paineville,  in  Amelia  County, 
which  were  in  one  of  the  wagons  destroyed, 
and  my  inability  to  get  reports  from  my  offi- 
cers, is  my  apology  for  the  rendition  of  a re- 
port incomplete  in  many,  though  I think 
minor,  details.  * * * 

“ I desire  to  call  attention  to  the  marked 


344 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


and  excellent  behavior  of  Generals  W.  H.  F. 
Lee,  Rosser,  and  Munford,  commanding  divi- 
sions. The  former  was  detached  from  the 
main  command,  being  the  senior  division  com- 
mander, whenever  it  seems  necessary  for  a 
force  to  operate  separately,  and  I hope  has 
made  a report  direct  to  the  commanding  gen- 
eral. He  surrendered  with  the  army  at  Ap- 
pomattox Court  House.  The  other  two  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  out , and  immediately  made 
arrangements  to  continue  the  struggle,  until 
the  capitulation  of  General  Johnston’s  army 
brought  the  convincing  proof  that  a further 
resistance  was  useless.”  * * * 

The  closing  paragraph  of  General  Fitzhugh 
Lee’s  report  is  too  pathetic  to  be  omitted  here. 
He  says : 

“ I deeply  regret  being  obliged  to  mention 
the  dangerous  wounding  of  my  aide-de-camp, 
Lieut.  Charles  Minnegerode,  Jr.  One  of  the 
last  minneballs  that  whistled  on  its  cruel 
errand  over  the  field  of  Appomattox  passed 
entirely  through  the  upper  part  of  his  body. 
He  fell  at  my  side,  where  for  three  long  years 
he  had  discharged  his  duties  with  an  affection- 
ate fidelity  never  exceeded,  a courage  never 
surpassed.  Wonderfully  passing  unharmed 
through  the  many  battles  fought  by  the  two 
principal  armies  in  this  State  (for  an  impetu- 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


345 


ous  spirit  often  carried  him  where  the  fire  was 
hottest,)  he  was  left  at  last,  writhing  in  his 
great  pain,  to  the  mercy  of  the  victors  upon 
the  field  of  our  last  struggle.  The  rapidly 
advancing  lines  of  the  enemy  prevented  his 
removal,  and  as  we  turned  away  the  wet  eyes 
and  sorrowing  hearts  silently  told  that  one 
was  no  longer  in  our  midst.  Lieutenant  Min- 
1 negerode  combined  the  qualities  of  an  aide- 
de-camp  to  a general  officer  in  a remarkable 
degreei.  His  personal  services  to  me  will 
forever  be  prized  and  remembered,  whilst  his 
intelligence,  amiability,  and  brightness  of  dis- 
position rendered  him  an  object  of  endear- 
ment to  all.” 

It  will  be  seen  that  two  out  of  three  of  the 
Cavalry  Division  Generals,  Rosser  and  Mun- 
ford,  “ succeeded  in  getting  out,  and  immedi- 
ately made  arrangements  to  continue  the 
struggle , until  the  capitulation  of  General 
J ohnston’s  army  brought  the  convincing  proof 
that  a further  resistance  was  useless.” 

What  General  Munford  did,  or  intended 
to  do,  is  set  forth  by  himself  in  his  orders  to 
his  soldiers  on  April  21st,  1865.  He  says: 

“ Hdqks.  Munfords  Cavalry  Brigade. 

Soldiers : I have  just  received  a communi- 
cation from  the  President  of  the  Confederate 
States,  ordering  us  again  to  the  field  in  de- 


346 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


fense  of  our  liberties.  General  Johnston, 
with  an  army  constantly  increasing,  well  ap- 
pointed, and  disciplined,  still  upholds  our 
glorious  banner.  We  are  ordered  to  report 
to  him.  Our  cause  is  not  dead.  Let  the 
same  stern  determination  to  be  free,  which 
has  supported  you  for  four  years  of  gallant 
struggle,  still  animate  you,  and  it  can  never 
die.  One  disaster,  however  serious,  cannot 
crush  out  the  spirit  of  Virginians  and  make 
them  tamely  submit  to  their  enemies,  who 
have  given  us,  during  all  these  terrible  years 
of  war,  so  many  evidences  of  their  devilish 
malignity  in  our  devastated  fields,  our  burned 
homesteads,  our  violated  daughters,  and  our 
murdered  thousands.  Virginians  will  under- 
stand that  their  present  pretended  policy  of 
conciliation  is  but  the  cunning  desire  of  the 
Yankee  to  lull  us  to  sleep  while  they  rivet  the 
chains  the}7  have  been  making  such  gigantic 
efforts  to  forge,  and  which  they  will  as  surely 
make  us  wear  forever  if  we  tamely  submit. 
We  have  sworn  a thousand  times  by  our 
eternal  wrongs,  by  our  sacred  God-given 
rights,  by  the  memory  of  our  noble  fathers 
and  our  glorious  past,  by  our  gallant  dead  who 
lie  on  every  plain  of  our  war-scarred  State, 
by  our  glorious  victories  on  many  a well- 
fought  field,  that  we  would  be  free.  Shall 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


347 


we  not  keep  our  oaths  ? Can  we  kneel  clown 
by  the  graves  of  our  dead,  kneel  in  the  very 
blood  from  sons  yet  fresh,  and  kiss  the  rod 
which  smote  them  down.  Yever ! Better 
die  a thousand  deaths.  We  have  still  power 
to  resist.  There  are  more  men  at  home  to-day 
belonging  to  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia 
than  were  surrendered  at  Appomattox.  Let 
them  rally  to  the  call  of  our  President,  and 
Virginia,  our  beloved  old  Commonwealth, 
shall  stand  triumphant  and  defiant,  with  her 
foot  upon  her  tyrants  prostrate,  and  her  proud 
old  banner,  never  yet  sullied,  with  its  ‘ Sic 
semper  tyrannis  ’ streaming  over  her. 

Soldiers  of  the  old  brigade,  to  you  I con- 
fidently appeal.  You  have  never  been  sur- 
rendered! Cutting  your  way  out  of  the  en- 
emy's lines  before  the  surrender  was  deter- 
mined, you,  together  with  a majority  of  the 
cavalry , are  free  to  follow  your  country’s  flag. 
The  eyes  of  your  Virginia,  now  bleeding  at 
every  pore,  turn  with  special  interest  to  you. 
Will  you  desert  her  at  her  sorest  need?  You 
will  never  descend  to  such  infamy.  Let  us 
renew  our  vows,  and  swear  again  by  our 
broken  altars  to  be  free  or  die.  Let  us  teach 
our  children  eternal  hostility  to  our  foes. 
What  though  we  perish  in  the  fight,  as  surely 
as  the  God  of  justice  reigns,  the  truth,  the 


34S 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


right  will  triumph,  and  though  we  may  not, 
our  children  will  win  the  glorious  fight,  for 
it  is  not  within  the  nature  of  her  Southern 
sons  to  wear  the  chains  of  Yankee  rule. 

We  have  still  a country,  a flag,  an  army,  a 
Government.  Then  to  horse!  A circular 
will  be  sent  to  each  of  your  officers  designat- 
ing the  time  and  places  of  assembly.  Hold 
yourselves  in  instant  readiness,  and  bring  all 
true  men  with  you  from  this  command  who 
will  go,  and  let  us  who  struck  the  last  blow 
as  an  organized  part  of  the  army  of  Northern 
Virginia  strike  the  first  with  that  victorious 
army  which,  by  the  blessings  of  our  gracious 
God,  will  yet  come  to  redeem  her  hallowed 
soil. 


Thomas  T.  Munford, 
Brig.-Gen.  Comndg.  DivT 

Four  days  before  this  effervescent  docu- 
ment was  issued,  its  author  * had  proceeded 
to  settle  some  of  his  official  tribulations  by 
the  following  letter  of  inquiry ; the  reply  to 
which  epistle  doubtless  immediately  evoked 
his  farewell  pronunciamento,  dated  on  the 
same  day. 

* In  recent  years  a popular  Southern  lecturer. 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


319 


“ Headquarters  Lee’s  Cavalry  Division, 

April  17,  1865, 

Brigadier-General  Mackenzie,  Commdg. 
Cav.  Brigade,  U.  S.  Army,  Lynchburg. 

General : I Lave  the  honor  to  enclose  a 
copy  of  a paper  * sent  me  last  night  by  Lieu- 
tenant Little,  commanding  detachment ; it 
places  me  in  an  embarrassing  position,  and  I 
must  decline  to  accept  your  polite  invitation 
until  I can  ascertain  my  status.  It  is  only 
necessary  for  me  to  say  I will  obey  orders 
when  I am  certain  they  are  by  proper  author- 
ity. I beg  leave  to  state  that  my  command 
succeeded  in  driving  the  Federal  cavalry  from 
the  Appomattox  and  Lynchburg  railroad  in 
our  front  on  Sunday ; that  I apprehended  the 
disaster  which  befell  our  army,  and  moved 
back  rapidly  into  the  main  body  of  my  com- 
mand, leaving  only  a heavy  skirmish  line  to 
cover  my  retreat.  I was  in  the  rear  when 
your  flag  of  truce  was  noticed  by  the  officer 
in  charge  of  my  covering  party.  As  soon  as 
I was  apprised  that  there  was  a truce  I went 
to  the  front  and  asked  to  communicate  with 
General  R.  E.  Lee.  General  Devin  com- 
manding U.  S.  forces,  ‘ could  not  allow  me 

* It  was  a “ request  ” from  Generals  Grant  and 
Mackenzie  to  “ report  ” to  the  latter. 


350 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


to  communicate  with  him/  and,  after  some 
little  parley,  I withdrew.  I was  at  no  time 
within  your  lines,  nor  did  I expect  to  surren- 
der my  command  or  myself.  If  I understand 
from  you  that  I was  included  in  the  surren- 
der I must  respectfully  ask  that  you  will  first 
show  I was  surrendered  before  I can  submit. 
I have  not  been  able  to  see  or  communicate 
with  any  officer  who  knows  the  terms  of  Gen- 
eral’s Lee’s  capitulation.  Please  state  in  your 
reply  who  was  included.  Many,  I know,  es- 
caped into  my  command.  Many  are  away 
on  details  and  from  other  causes.  Let  it  be 
understood  at  once  and  our  people  will  know 
how  to  act  and  what  to  expect.  The  love 
of  our  cause,  backed  by  the  proud  and  brave 
hearts  of  my  command,  will  be  a sufficient 
apology  for  my  declining  to  comply  with  your 
polite  invitation  until  I am  satisfied  that  Gen- 
eral Lee  included  my  command,  who  had  cut 
their  way  through  your  lines  and  are  far  from 
being  in  a condition  to  be  captured.  I shall 
follow  our  old  flag  and  defend  it  until  we  are 
free.  My  men  do  not  believe  they  could  have 
been  surrendered.  If  you  will  furnish  me 
with  satisfactory  evidence  I will  submit  to 
the  powers  that  be,  otherwise  I shall  not  ask 
or  expect  any  favors.  If  this  paper  could  be 
sent  to  General  Lee  it  would  obviate  many 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


351 


difficulties.  My  desire  is  to  act  in  good  faith, 
but  I wilt  take  the  risk  until  it  is  made  clear. 

Tour  obedient  servant, 

Thomas  T.  Munford, 

Brig. -Gen.  Comndg.  Div. 

(This  will  be  handed  by  Lieutenant  Tesh, 
bearing  flag  of  truce.”) 

The  reply  was  very  conservative,  and  bears 
the  same  date  as  the  “ pronunciamento.  ” 
Here  it  is : 

“Headquarters,  24th  Army  Corps.  In  the 
Field,  Burkville,  Va.,  April  21,  1865. 

Brig. -Gen.  Thomas  T.  Munford , Com- 
manding Division. 

General : Your  communication  of  the  17th 
inst.  to  Brigadier-General  Mackenzie  has  been 
referred  to  me  as  the  senior  officer  of  the  com- 
mission appointed  by  Lieutenant-General 
Gram  to  arrange  the  terms  of  surrender  of 
General  Lee’s  Army.  In  reply  I have  the 
honor  to  state  that  by  the  agreement  entered 
into  by  the  officers  appointed  on  each  side  it 
is  provided  that  ‘ The  surrender  of  the  Army 
of  Northern  Virginia  shall  be  construed  to 
include  all  the  forces  operating  with  that 
army  on  the  8th  instant,’  £ except  such  bodies 
of  cavalry  as  actually  made  their  escape  pre- 


352 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


vious  to  the  surrender.  ’ The  question,  there- 
fore, as  to  the  actual  escape  of  your  command 
is  left  to  your  decision.  I am,  sir,  very  re- 
spectfully, your  obedient  servant, 

John  Gibbon, 

Major-  General  of  Volunteers.  ’ ’ 

Some  of  Lee’s  troops  at  Appomattox 
‘ ‘ while  forming  line  of  battle  ’ ’ were  ordered 
back  and  did  not  become  engaged  on  the  9th. 
(Lane’s  Report,  WarRec.  Yol.  46,  Part  I.  p. 
1286.)  Some  of  the  Confederate  troops 
marched  all  night  on  the  night  of  the  8th  and 
others  ‘ ‘ remained  in  line  of  battle  all  night 
in  consequence  of  a dash  made  by  enemy’s 
cavalry  ’ ’ upon  Appomattox  Court-House ; 
— referring  to  the  Custer  onset  of  that 
night. 

Before  leaving  this  feature  of  the  picture, 
and  as  showing  the  military  situation  of  af- 
fairs immediately  south  of  and  in  direct  touch 
with  Lee’s  army,  as  observed  by  one  of  its 
most  experienced  engineer  officers,  the  fol- 
lowing extracts  are  given  from  the  published 
(“  War  Records  ”)  Diary  of  Captain  (?) 
Jed.  Hotchkiss,  Topographical  Engineer 
Second  Corps,  Lee’s  Army  of  Northern  Vir- 
ginia, relating  to  the  days  covered  by  this 
narration.  | Prominent  Confederate  officers 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


353 


deny  that  “ Captain  ” Hotchkiss  was  a com- 
missioned officer.] 

“Tuesday,  April  4th.  Spent  to-day  in  getting 
transportation,  etc.,  to  move  away.  Town  full  of 
rumors.  Richmond  has  certainly  been  given  up, 
and  Lee  has  gone  toward  Danville.  (Robinson)  re- 
ducing Valley  map  ; Wilson  copying  vicinity  of 
Lynchburg.  I corrected  Valley  map.  Some.  Fine 
day. 

Wednesday.  April  5th.  (Wilson)  as  yesterday  ; I 
corrected  Valley  map  ; (Robinson)  reducing  Roan- 
oke County.  The  enemy  is  again  advancing  up  the 
Valley.  Encamped  last  night  at  Fisher’s  Hill  and 
came  to-day  to  Maurer  town,  our  cavalry  skirmish- 
ing with  them.  I went  home  in  the  P.  M.  and  spent 
the  night.  Started  Robinson  with  maps  to  Lynch- 
burg. A fine  day,  but  cloudy. 

Thursday,  April  6.  I came  back  to  Staunton  at 
an  early  hour.  The  enemy  is  still  advancing  up  the 
valley  also  said  to  be  at  Christiansburg.  Our  trains 
from  Richmond  going  toward  Lynchburg ; the 
enemy  at  Goochland  Court  House.  It  rained  quite 
hard  last  night  and  this  A.  M.  We  spent  the  day  in 
Staunton.  Late  in  the  P.  M.  it  was  reported  that 
the  enemy  had  gone  back  down  the  valley.  Fine 
day. 

Friday,  April  7.  Lomax’s  division  started  toward 
Lexington  yesterday  in  the  P.  M.  and  went  some 
ten  miles,  and  to-day  it  went  through  Lexington 
and  to  the  mouth  of  Buffalo  Creek.  I accompanied 
it.  Supped  at  Colonel  Preston's.  We  marched  until 
10  P.  M.  General  Lomax  went  ten  miles  farther  to 
the  “Rope  Ferry.”  Fine  day.  Country  full  of 
rumors  and  much  excited.  Rode  forty-six  miles. 

Saturday,  April  8.  We  continued  the  march  to- 
day by  the  Amhurst  road  to  Lynchburg . Got  there 
after  dark.  General  Lomax  reached  there  about  2 
P.  M.  The  citizens  had  determined  to  surrender 
the  place,  and  were  much  excited  at  the  near  ap- 
proach of  the  enemy  from  the  west,  a few  hundred  ; 
but  General  Lomax  soon  restored  confidence,  and  got 
convalescents,  etc.,  into  the  trenches ; but  he  soon 
found  out  that  only  a small  force  was  coming  from 

23 


354 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


the  west  and  that  it  had  retired,  so  he  put  his  cavalry 
toward  Farmville,  as  reports  came  of  disasters  to 
General  Lee’s  army,  which  was  at  Appomattox 
Station.  We  traveled  thirty-six  miles.  Fine  day. 
Peaches,  apples,  etc.,  in  full  bloom. 

Sunday,  April  !).  We  rode  around  the  city  to  see 
its  defences.  Went  also  to  the  cavalry  camp  three 
miles  down  the  river.  News  came  rapidly  that  our 
army  lost  most  of  its  train  and  artillery  yesterday, 
and  that  there  was  a fight  tliismorhing  and  the  army 
had  surrendered.  It  was  confirmed  later  in  the  day, 
and  sadness  and  gloom  pervaded  the  entire  com- 
munity. Generals  Rosser  and  Munford  came  in  late 
in  the  day,  and  the  town  was  full  of  fugitives.  Cool, 
part  of  the  day.  I went  out  to  General  Jackson’s 
camp  for  the  night. 

Monday,  April  10.  We  marched  at  G A.  M.  toward 
Danville,  via  Campbell  Court  House.  The  command 
went  to  Panill’s  Bridge.  General  Lomax  went  by 
the  Ward  road.  The  train  and  artillery  started 
yesterday.  I crossed  to  it  from  Campbell  Court 
House,  and  went  across  Ward’s  Bridge  and  four 
miles  beyond  to  McDaniel’s.  Saw  General  Rosser  on 
the  road,  going  to  Danville  to  see  General  R.  E.  Lee , 
who  icas  said  to  have  gone  down  the  day  before.  It 
rained  a good  deal  of  the  day.  Rode  thirty  miles. 
The  country  is  full  of  fugitives  from  the  surrender. 

Tuesday,  April  11.  We  rode  to  seven  miles  be- 
yond Pittsylvania  Court  House,  toward  Danville. 
The  division  came  by  Chalk  Level  to  a few  miles 
beyond  the  Court  House.  It  misted  in  the  morning, 
cool  in  the  A.  M.,  warmer  in  P.  M.  Vegetation  quite 
forward.  Majors  Howard  and  Rowland  and  myself 
spent  the  night  at  Doctor  Hutchins’. 

Wednesday.  April  12.  We  went  to  the  division 

camp  at Meeting  House.  Heard  positively  that 

General  R.  E.  Lee  has  surrendered  himself.  A good 
portion  of  the  division  went  off  last  night,  and 
Colonel  Nelson  to-day  disbanded  his  artillery,  leav- 
ing everything  at  Pittsylvania  Court  House.  I soon 
ascertained  that  the  Virginia  troops  had  all  de- 
termined to  go  home,  and  that  the  surrender  of 
General  Lee  has  caused  nearly  every  one  to  give  up 
all  hopes  for  the  confederacy.  Though  many  had 
escaped  without  being  paroled , only  now  and  then 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


35  5 


one  had  a gun.  A complete  demoralization  had 
taken  place.  General  Rosser  saiv  the  Secretary  of 
War  at  Danville,  and  to-day  passed  through  Pitt- 
sylvania Court  House  toward  Lynchburg,  where  he 
disbanded  his  division  on  Monday  last.  General 
Lomax  went  to  Danville  to  see  the  Secretary  of  War. 
The  division  melted  away  during  the  day,  and  but 
few  were  left  to  follow  General  W.  L.  Jackson  when 
he  turned  back  toward  the  Valley.  Major  Howard 
and  myself  went  to  the  Court  House,  dined  at  Judge 
Gilmer’s,  and  then,  in  company  with  Colonel  Nelson 
and  others,  went  to  Berger’s  Store  and  two  miles 
beyond,  toward  Toler’s  Ferry.  Nearly  every  house 
was  full  of  soldiers  going  home,  and  we  had  much 
trouble  in  finding  quarters.  Fine  day,  but  it  rained 
most  of  the  evening  at  night.  Skulkers  and  deserters 
are  coming  out  of  their  holes.  [ War  Rec.  46  Vol. 
Part  I.  p.  531.] 


A SITUATION  TWELVE  DAYS  AFTEK  THE  SUK- 
KENDEK. 


The  same  day  that  General  klunford  is- 
sued his  proclamation,  the  Union  commander 
at  Lynchburg,  General  J.  Irvin  Gregg, — 
Crook’s  Brigade  commander  who  had  been 
liberated  on  the  9th,  having  been  taken  pris- 
oner in  the  Farmville  battle  on  the  7th  of 
April,  and  who  would  have  been  justified  in 
attacking  “ Munford’s  men  ” at  Lynchburg, 
as  is  now  clear, — was  pressing  “ peace  and 
good  order”  chiefly  by  “moral  influence;  ” 
as  it  appears  by  his  own  brief  but  interesting 
description  in  his  following  report  of  April 
21st  from  Lynchburg: 


356 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


“ Lynchburg,  April  21,  1865. 

Brig. -Gen.  1ST.  M.  Curtis,  Chief  of  Staff: 
Send  me  a regiment  of  infantry — a strong 
one.  I do  not  apprehend  any  danger,  but  all 
Munford’s  men  are  in  the  neighborhood  un- 
paroled and  in  possession  of  their  arms.  My 
total  strength  is  751  men;  the  detachments 
will  reduce  the  command  at  this  place  to  less 
than  500  men.  Many  paroled  prisoners  ar- 
rive here  without  subsistence,  who  are  still  a 
long  distance  from  their  homes.  Shall  I 
issue  rations  to  them  and  furnish  transporta- 
tion? The  vicinity  is  quiet;  the  inhabit- 
ants well  disposed.  A most  excellent  state 
of  feeling  exists  in  this  city  among  prominent 
men.  The  mayor  and  most  of  the  members 
of  the  city  council  have  taken  the  oath.  Gen- 
erals Munford  and  Sorrel  were  paroled  yes- 
terday. No  absolute  destitution  prevails. 
Farmers  are  planting  corn.  Negroes  quiet 
and  disposed  to  be  industrious.  Forward 
copies  of  orders  from  War  Department  for 
1865. 

J.  Irvin  Gregg, 

Brev.  Brig. -Gen.  of  Vols.,  Commndg.” 

OFFICIAL  NARRATIONS  OF  UNION  GENERALS. 

Leaving  these  pictures  and  narratives 
as  given  chiefly  from  Confederate  official 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


357 


sources,  it  is  time  now  to  turn  again  to  the 
doings  of  the  Union  forces  participating  im- 
mediately in  the  Appomattox  battle,  as  nar- 
rated officially  by  the  leading  Union  generals. 

Upon  the  Union  side  General  Meade , on 
April  10,  reports  to  General  Grant  that  Hum- 
phreys (2d  Corps)  “ having  marched  nearly 
all  night  came  up  with  the  enemy  about  noon 
at  a point  about  three  miles  from  Appomattox 
Court  House.  Preparations  were  at  once 
made  to  attack  when  I received  a letter  from 
General  Lee  to  the  Lieutenant-General 
(Grant)  asking  a suspension  of  hostilities. 
Understanding  a truce  had  been  agreed  to  by 
Major-General  Ord,  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Court  House  (where  the  battle  had  raged) 
I acceded  to  one  until  2 P.  M.,  by  which  time 
I received  the  orders  of  the  Lieutenant-Gen- 
eral commanding,  to  cease  hostilities  until 
further  notice,  and  later  in  the  afternoon 
I was  advised  by  the  Lieutenant-General 
commanding  the  army  that  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia  had  surrendered.” 

During  the  evening  of  the  8th  (9  P.  M.) 
the  2d  and  6th  Corps  were  given  orders  to 
move  at  5 A.  M.  on  the  ninth,  “ and  the  Sec- 
ond Corps  will  attack  the  enemy  (now  in  its 
front),  the  Sixth  Corps  supporting.”  (46 
Vol.  Pt.  3,  p.  645,  688,  Off.  War  Records.) 


358 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


The  situation  on  the  Union  side  at  9:20 
and  at  9 :40  P.  M.  April  8th  was  reported  to 
Grant  by  Sheridan  in  two  characteristic  dis- 
patches which  are  given  in  full,  and  are  again 
referred  to  a few  pages  beyond  this : 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters,  April  8,  1865. 

9:20  P.  M. 

Lieutenant-General  U.  S.  Grant,  Com- 
manding Armies  of  the  United  States. 

General : I marched  early  this  morning 
from  the  Buffalo  Creek  and  Prospect  Station 
on  Appomattox  Station,  where  my  scouts  had 
reported  trains  of  cars  with  supplies  for  Lee’s 
army.  A short  time  before  dark  General 
Custer,  who  had  the  advance,  made  a dash  at 
the  station,  capturing  four  trains  of  supplies 
with  locomotives.  One  of  the  trains  was 
burned,  and  the  others  were  run  back  towards 
Uarmville  for  security.  Custer  then  pushed 
on  toward  Appomattox  Court  House,  driving 
the  enemy  who  kept  up  a heavy  fire  of  artil- 
lery— charging  them  repeatedly  and  captur- 
ing, as  far  as  reported,  twenty-five  pieces  of 
artillery  and  a number  of  prisoners  and 
wagons.  The  First  Cavalry  Division  sup- 
ported him  on  the  right.  A reconnoissance 
sent  across  the  Appomattox  reports  the  enemy 
moving  on  the  Cumberland  Road  to  Appomat- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


359 


tox  Station,  where  they  expect  to  get  supplies. 
Custer  is  still  pushing  on.  If  General  Gib- 
bon and  the  Fifth  Corps  can  get  up  to-night , 
we  will  perhaps  finish  the  job  in  the  morning. 
I do  not  think  Lee  means  to  surrender  until 
compelled  to  do  so. 

P.  II.  Sheeidax, 
Major-  General.  ’ ’ 

“ Headquarters  Cavalry,  April  8,  1865. 

9.40  P.  M. 

Lieutenant-General  U.  S.  Grant,  Com- 
manding Armies  TJ.  S. 

General : Since  writing  the  accompanying 
dispatch,  General  Custer  reports  that  his  com- 
mand has  captured  in  all  thirty-five  pieces  of 
artillery,  one  thousand  prisoners — including 
one  general  officer — and  from  one  hundred 
and  fifty  to  two  hundred  wagons. 

P.  H.  Sheeidax, 
Major-  General.  ’ ’ 

At  9 A.  IT.  on  April  9th  General  Hum- 
phreys wrote  to  General  Meade  this  letter : 

“Headquarters  Second  Army  Corps, 
April  9,  1865.  9 A.  M. 

Major-General  Meade,  Commanding  Army 
of  the  Potomac: 

Not  finding  the  enemy  where  he  was  re- 
ported last  evening  I moved  forward  about 


360 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


five  miles,  when,  finding  my  men  falling  out 
rapidly,  I halted  the  head  of  the  column  about 
12  M.  The  rations  were  brought  up  and  is- 
sued. The  head  of  my  column  is  now  about 
one  mile  and  a half  from  the  halting  place 
and  near  to  the  rear  of  the  enemy,  according 
to  the  report  of  a negro  who  came  from  Lynch- 
burg yesterday  morning.  Our  troops  were 
then  three  miles  from  Lynchburg.  He 
passed  through  Appomattox  Court  House 
about  sunset.  The  fighting  there  was  then 
going  on.  It  was  resumed  this  morning, 
and  is  still  continuing.  About  daylight  he 
passed  the  last  of  the  enemy  and  then  lay  in 
the  woods  some  time,  coming  in  to  us  when 
he  thought  it  was  safe.  He  was  told  as  he 
passed  through  Lee’s  army  that  the  troops 
would  move  again  about  midnight.  We  are 
about  ten  miles  from  Appomattox  Court- 
House. 

A.  A.  Humphreys, 
Major-General  Commanding .” 

General  Meade  received  this  dispatch  at 
10  A.  M.,  while  Sheridan  was  fighting,  and 
sent  it  to  General  Grant.  General  Meade 
also  that  morning  forwarded  to  General  Grant 
a letter  from  General  Lee  requesting  an  in- 
terview, which  letter  Meade  writes  General 
Grant  that  he  had  “ opened  thinking  time  and 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


361 


some  good  might  result  from  so  doing ; ” and 
adding,  “ whilst  I fully  agree  with  you  in  the 
only  terms  as  stated  in  your  letter  to  be 
granted,  I think  it  would  be  well  for  you  to 
see  General  Lee,  as  he  may  accept  them  after 
an  interview.”  (46  War  Eec.  p.  668.) 

There  is  often  a point  where  to  refuse  to 
negotiate  is  to  negotiate  successfully,  and  two 
men  seldom  agree  as  to  when  and  where  that 
point  is.  Its  successful  location  is  usually 
dependent  upon  the  judgment  of  a single  indi- 
vidual. General  Grant  had  evidently  located 
that  point  for  himself  when  early  Sunday 
morning  he  wrote  Lee  declining  to  meet  him 
yet,  although  the  night  before  Grant  had  ex- 
pressed to  the  Secretary  of  War  his  opinion 
that  Lee  would  be  obliged  to  surrender  to- 
morrow. General  Grant  did  not  belong  to 
that  element,  at  large  in  both  parties  in  the 
North  and  not  without  adherents  in  the  army, 
“ that  the  war  could  be  ended  only  through 
negotiation.” 

The  terms  of  peace,  to  which  General 
Meade  in  this  letter  to  Grant  approvingly  re- 
ferred, are  those  set  forth  by  General  Grant 
in  a letter  to  General  Lee,  dated  April  9 , and 
dispatched  from  Grant’s  Headquarters  early 
that  morning,  and  received  by  Lee  on  the 
“ picket  line,”  where  he  had  mistakenly  calcu- 


362 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


lated  to  meet  and  to  negotiate  with  General 
Grant. 

Instead  of  Grant  meeting  him  General  Lee 
then  received  this  note : 

1 “ Headquarters,  Armies  of  the  United 

States,  April  9,  1865. 

General  R.  E.  Lee,  Commanding  C.  S. 

I Army. 

General: — Your  note  of  yesterday  is  re- 
ceived. As  I have  no  authority  to  treat  on 
the  subject  of  peace,  the  meeting  proposed 
for  10  A.  M.  to-day  could  lead  to  no  good.  I 
will  state,  however,  General,  that  I am  equally 
anxious  for  peace  with  yourself,  and  the 
whole  North  entertain  the  same  feeling.  The 
terms  upon  which  peace  can  be  had  are  well 
understood .*  By  the  South  laying  down  their 
arms  they  will  hasten  that  most  desirable 
event,  save  thousands  of  human  lives,  and 
hundreds  of  millions  of  property  not  yet  de- 
stroyed. Sincerely  hoping  that  all  our  diffi- 
culties may  be  settled  without  the  loss  of  an- 
other life,  I subscribe  myself,  very  respect- 
fully, your  obedient  servant, 

U.  S.  Grant, 
Lieut. -Gen.  U.  S.  Army.” 

The  “ note  of  yesterday  ” above  referred  to 

* Grant's  notes  to  Lee  had  defined  them. 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY . 


363 


was  that  in  which  General  Lee  had  written 
that  he  did  “ not  think  the  emergency  had 
arisen  to  call  for  a surrender.”  Hence  this 
unequivocal  reply  of  General  Grant. 

This  letter  of  General  Grant’s,  written 
early  Sunday  morning,  was  delivered  to  Gen- 
eral Lee  about  9 A.  M.  in  front  of  the  Second 
(Humphreys’)  Corps.  General  Lee  immedi- 
ately answered,  sending  with  the  answer  an 
oral  message  of  regret  at  not  having  met  Gen- 
eral Grant  as  he  had  expected.  General 
Grant  by  that  time  was  well  on  his  way  from 
the  route  of  march  of  the  2d  and  6th  Corps 
to  that  of  Generals  Ord  (24th  Corps)  and 
Sheridan  (Cavalry  Corps). 

General  Lee’s  regrets  must  have  been  sin- 
cere, for  he  had  doubtless  depended  on  agree- 
ing with  Genera]  Grant  upon  some  terms  of 
capitulation,  and  so  at  a sufficiently  early 
hour  to  stop  a general  engagement.  Still  he 
had  given  no  orders  to  his  own  army  to  ex- 
hibit signs  of  truce,  or  to  halt,  or  to  remain 
passive.  He  just  went  to  see  Grant  because 
he  thought  there  was  nothing  else  left  for  him 
to  do ; and  naturally  he  rode  first  to  his  own 
rear  thinking  Grant  was  with  the  forces  im- 
mediately pursuing  it,  instead  of  with  forces 
being  used  to  intercept  him  at  his  own  front. 

General  Humphreys  in  his  “ Campaign  in 


364 


the  last  hours  of 


Virginia  ” (pp.  393,  395)  says  that  before 
daybreak  that  Sunday  morning,  General  Lee 
sent  Colonel  Venable  of  his  staff  to  General 
Gordon,  commanding  Lee’s  advance,  to  learn 
what  were  the  chances  of  a successful  attack. 
General  Gordon  replied : “ My  old  corps  is 

reduced  to  a frazzle,  and  unless  I am  sup- 
ported by  Longstreet  heavily,  I do  not  think 
we  can  do  anything  more.”  Colonel  Venable 
returned  with  this  answer  of  Gordon’s,  to 
which  General  Lee  in  reply  said:  “Then 
there  is  nothing  left  me  but  to  go  and  see 
General  Grant.” 

It  was  under  these  circumstances  that  Gen- 
eral Lee  answered  General  Grant,  with  a note 
containing  the  first  request  for  an  interview 
upon  the  basis  previously  indicated  by  Gen- 
eral Grant.  This,  the  first  letter  written  to 
General  Grant  by  General  Lee  on  the  surren- 
der morning,  was  sent  between  9 and  10  A.  M. 
on  the  ninth,  and  while  Sheridan’s  battle  was 
raging,  and  was  as  follows : 

“ April  9, 1865. 

General  U.  S.  Grant,  Commanding  U.  S. 
Armies. 

General : I received  your  note  of  this 
morning  on  the  picket-line,  whither  I had 
come  to  meet  you  and  ascertain  definitely 
what  terms  were  embraced  in  your  proposal 


SHERIDANS  CAVALRY. 


365 


of  yesterday  with  reference  to  the  surrender 
of  the  Army.  I now  request  an  interview  in 
accordance  with  the  offer  contained  in  your 
letter  of  yesterday  for  that  purpose.  Very 
respectfully,  your  obedient  servant,  E.  E.  Lee, 
General.” 

Of  course  General  Humphreys  forwarded 
this  note  to  General  Meade ; and  the  latter  in 
due  course  sent  it,  by  Lieutenant  Charles  E. 
Pease  of  his  staff,  to  General  Grant,  who  was 
overtaken  by  the  Lieutenant  “ riding  along 
the  wagon  road  that  runs  from  Farmville  to 
Appomattox  and  at  a point  about  eight  or  ten 
miles  east  of  the  latter  place.”  This  was,  as 
General  Grant  then  noted,  11.50  A.  M. 

Meanwhile  much  was  occurring.  Among 
other  things  oral  communications,  through 
staff  officers,  had  taken  place  between  Gen- 
erals Lee  and  Meade,  and  Lee  and  Hum- 
phreys ; and  the  latter  was  keeping  Meade 
closely  informed,  and  not  relenting  in  obey- 
ing his  instructions  to  press  forward  vigor- 
ously and  attack. 

Colonel  H.  H.  Humphreys,  of  the  regular 
army,  and  then  on  the  Second  Corps  staff, 
says  (1898)  that  while  his  father’s  (Second 
Corps)  troops  were  so  engaged,  “ General 
Humphreys  received  two  earnest  requests 
from  General  Lee,  through  his  staff  officer, 


366 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


not  to  press  forward  irpon  him,  to  halt,  that 
negotiations  were  in  progress  looking  to  a 
surrender  of  his  army.  These  requests  were 
made  when  the  Second  Corps  was  close  upon 
General  Longstreet,  whose  troops  were  the 
rear  guard  of  the  Confederate  Army.  These 
requests  could  not  be  complied  with,  and 
General  Lee  was  so  informed,  and  the  2nd 
corps  continued  to  press  forward.  When 
these  requests  of  General  Lee  were  received, 
he  was  very  urgent,  so  urgent  that  General 
Humphreys  had  to  send  General  Lee  word 
twice  he  must  remove  from  the  ground.  Gen- 
eral Lee  was  in  plain  sight,  and  not  over  one 
hundred  yards  distant  from  the  head  of  the 
Second  Corps.”  This  was,  however,  many 
miles  from  where  General  Grant  then  was. 
At  the  very  moments  of  these  requests  Lee’s 
men  were  fighting  Sheridan  and  Ord  and  the 
Fifth  Corps  men;  while  all  the  Confederate 
Cavalry  that  could  disentangle  itself  was  fly- 
ing away  from  Lee’s  battle  lines. 

Shortly  after  the  note  above  quoted  was  dis- 
patched by  General  Lee,  he  wrote  again  to 
the  same  effect  and  sent  it  by  another  mes- 
senger to  a different  point  of  the  lines,  ex- 
plaining that  a message  from  General  Meade 
had  intimated  that  this  “ would  probably  ex- 
pedite matters.”  The  battle  was  furiously 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY.  367 

raging  and  time  was  important.  This  is  one 
of  the  duplicates  found  in  the  records: 

“ Headquarters  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia,  April  9,  1865. 

Lieut.-Gen.  U.  S.  Grant,  Commanding  U. 
S.  Armies. 

General : — I sent  a communication  to  you 
to-day  from  the  picket-line,  whither  I had 
gone  in  the  hopes  of  meeting  you  in  pursu- 
ance of  the  request  contained  in  my  letter  of 
yesterday.  Major-General  Meade  informs 
me  that  it  would  probably  expedite  matters 
to  send  a duplicate  through  some  other  part 
of  your  lines.  I therefore  request  an  inter- 
view, at  such  time  and  place  as  you  may  de- 
signate, to  discuss  the  terms  of  the  surrender 
of  this  army  in  accordance  with  your  offer 
to  have  such  an  interview,  contained  in  your 
letter  of  yesterday.  Very  respectfully,  your 
obedient  servant, 

. R.  E.  Lee, 

General .” 

The  first  one  of  these  duplicate  notes  of 
General  Lee  to  reach  General  Grant  was  re- 
ceived by  the  latter  (probably  concurrently 
with  the  note  from  General  Meade  recom- 
mending the  interview)  at  11.50  A.  M.  as 


368 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


appears  by  General  Grant’s  prompt  reply 
made  at  the  same  moment  in  these  words : 

“ Headquarters  Armies  of  the  United  States. 

April  9,  1865. 

General  R.  E.  Lee , Commanding  C.  S. 
Army : 

Your  note  of  this  date  is  but  this  moment 
(11.50  A.  M.)  received.  In  consequence  of 
my  having  passed  from  Richmond  and  Lynch- 
burg road  to  the  Farmville  and  Lynchburg 
road,  I am  at  this  writing  about  four  miles 
west  of  Walker’s  Church,  and  will  push  for- 
ward to  the  front  for  the  purpose  of  meeting 
you.  Notice  sent  to  me  on  this  road  where 
you  wish  the  interview  to  take  place  will  meet 
me.  Very  respectfully,  your  obedient 
servant, 

U.  S.  Grant, 
Lieutenant-General 

Thus  it  appears  that  General  Grant  up  to 
11.50  A.  M.  had  not  received  any  definite 
request  for  an  interview  looking  to  an  abso- 
lute surrender  as  demanded  by  him  in  his 
letter  of  April  7th  to  General  Lee. 

Each  general  had  made  his  fighting  ar- 
rangements for  the  day  of  the  ninth,  (Sun- 
day) and  the  battle  had  gone  forward  accord- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


369 


ingly.  It  was  actually  suspended  only  by  the 
appearances  in  unexpected  quarters  of  Union 
infantry ; which  appearances  caused  and 
were  followed  at  once  by  requests  from  Lee's 
subordinates  who  tvere  encountering  the  in- 
fantry. These  requests  were  based  on  er- 
roneous statements  of  fact,  like  that  made 
to  Custer  by  Gordon,  probably  innocently 
made,  that  Grant  and  Lee  were  ‘ ‘ in  confer- 
ence. ’ ’ They  afterwards  got  into  conference. 

Meanwhile,  as  the  conflict  wore  on,  Gen- 
eral Lee  had  again  asked  for  a “ suspension 
of  hostilities,”  in  the  following  note  ad- 
dressed to  General  Grant : 


“ April  9,  1865. 

Lieut.-Gen.  U.  S.  Grant,  Commanding  U. 
S.  Armies. 

General : I ask  a suspension  of  hostilities 
pending  the  adjustment  of  the  terms  of  the 
surrender  of  this  army,  in  the  interview  re- 
quested in  my  former  communication  to-day. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

R.  E.  Lee, 
General.'” 

To  this  note,  sent  through  General  Meade, 
the  latter  not  only  forwarded  it  to  General 
Grant,  but  also  replied  at  twelve  o’clock,  as 
24 


370 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


follows  to  General  Lee’s  urgent  and  repeated 
request  for  General  Meade  to  order  a suspen- 
sion of  hostilities: 

“ Headquarters,  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
April  9,  1855  — 12  M. 

General  R.  E.  Lee : 

I have  no  aiithority  to  suspend  hostilities 
unless  it  is  with  the  distinct  understanding 
that  you  are  prepared  to  accept  the  terms  in- 
dicated in  the  letter  of  Lieutenant-General 
Grant  sent  to  you  yesterday.  I understand 
General  Grant  did  not  accede  to  your  proposi- 
tion for  an  interview.  Your  letter  will  be 
at  once  forwarded  to  Lieutenant-General 
Grant,  and  perhaps  I may  be  sooner  advised 
by  him  if  you  have  had  any  communication 
with  other  parts  of  our  line.  I am  now  ad- 
vised by  General  Forsyth  that  a cessation  of 
hostilities  has  been  agreed  upon  between  your 
command  and  General  Ord.  Under  these 
circumstances,  to  enable  General  Forsyth  to 
return  and  report  my  action,  I agree  to  a sus- 
pension of  hostilities  until  2 P.  M.  this  day, 
and  shall  be  glad  to  prolong  it  upon  being  ad- 
vised by  you  that  you  agree  to  General  Grant’s 
terms.  Respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

Geo.  G.  Meade, 
Major-General , U.  S.  Army.” 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


371 


THE  TEUCE. 

Thus  it  happened  that  as  late  as  12  noon 
on  April  9th,  the  battle  had  been  suspended 
by  General  Lee’s  subordinates  sending  flags 
of  truce  and  procuring  a suspension,  -without 
indeed  any  authority  of  General  Grant  to 
his  generals,  and  without  ostensible  author- 
ity of  General  Lee  to  his  oivn  subordinates. 

One  of  these  “ duplicate  ” notes  of  Gen- 
eral Lee  was  brought  up  by  Longstreet  to 
General  Sheridan  for  General  Grant  about 
half  an  hour  after  Gordon  and  Sheridan  had 
first  met  and  agreed  upon  a temporary  truce. 

It  so  happened  that  when  Gordon’s  battling 
forces  encountered  the  Union  infantry  and 
saw  the  impending  cavalry  charge  that  Sheri- 
dan was  threatening,  the  flag  of  truce  was 
sent  by  Gordon  to  Custer ; who  then  hurried 
an  aide  to  Sheridan  saying : “ Lee  has  sur- 

rendered ; do  not  charge ; the  white  flag  is 
up.”  As  Sheridan  relates  in  his  Memories 
the  flag  was  sent  out  to  Custer’s  “ front  and 
stopped  the  charge  just  in  time.” 

Sheridan  himself,  having  arranged  with 
Ord  about  supporting  the  cavalry,  and 
having  ordered  Crook  ‘ ‘ to  hold  his  ground 
as  long  as  practicable  without  sacrificing  his 
men,  and  if  forced  to  retire  to  contest  with 


372 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


obstinacy  the  enemy’s  advance,”  bad  gone 
towards  Merritt’s  headquarters  flag,  with  a 
view  of  completing  his  dispositions  for  this 
final  attack.  During  these  dispositions 
some  of  Merritt’s  men  who  had  been  fighting 
dismounted  had  mounted  and  moved  off  for 
their  assigned  positions.  The  Confederates 
observing  their  apparent  withdrawal,  and 
mistaken  as  to  its  motive,  had  pressed  Crook 
still  harder ; but  by  the  time  Sheridan  had 
reached  Merritt’s  headquarters  flag  every- 
body, as  Sheridan  relates,  was  ready  for 
work;  so  a move  on  the  enemy’s  left  was 
ordered,  and  every  guidon  was  bent  to  the 
front. 

This  was  indeed  an  imposing  and  unique 
spectacle.  It  was  dramatic,  and  narrowly 
escaped  becoming  tragical.  It  was  when 
the  final  formations  were  being  made  at  a 
trot  that  the  white  flag  came  from  Gordon 
to  Custer ; for  then  the  Union  infantry  had 
irretrievably  occupied  the  Lynchburg  road  in 
Gordon’s  front. 

Sheridan  at  once  started  in  his  well-nigh 
fatal  attempt  to  interview  the  Confederate 
commander  at  his  immediate  front,  who  had 
sent  the  flags  that  had  stopped  the  charge. 
He  also  sent  word  to  Ord  and  to  his  own 
generals.  Seeing  a mounted  group  which 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


373 


he  supposed  was  of  some  of  his  own  generals, 
he  rode  towards  them  at  the  Court  House,  and 
was  fired  upon  by  musketry,  so  that  he  was  ob- 
liged to  seek  the  shelter  of  a convenient  ridge. 
Afterwards,  followed  only  by  his  color  bearer, 
he  approached  another  part  of  the  enemy’s 
line,  and  was  halted  by  level  muskets ; while 
a Confederate  soldier,  assuming  them  to  be 
coming  in  as  prisoners,  demanded  Sheridan’s 
battle  flag.  The  sergeant  bearing  it  drew  his 
saber,  and  a personal  encounter  was  narrowly 
averted  by  Sheridan’s  sending  his  battle  flag 
back  to  his  own  lines  and  explaining,  as  he 
puts  it,*  “ that  the  boot  was  on  the  other 
flag.  ’ ’ 

In  a few  minutes,  Sheridan  received  a 
request  from  Generals  Gordon  and  Wilcox, 
who  were  in  the  group  he  was  approaching, 
to  join  them,  with  an  apology  for  what  had 
occurred,  in  response  to  a demand  for  an  ex- 
planation. Sheridan  had  hardly  met  them 
when  firing  began  again.  Turning  to  Gor- 
don, he  said,  “ General,  your  men  fired  on 
me  as  I was  coming  over  here,  and  undoubt- 
edly they  are  treating  Merritt  and  Custer 
the  same  way.  We  might  as  well  let  them 
fight  it  out.”  Gordon  said:  “There  must 
be  some  mistake.”  Sheridan  asked,  “ Why 
* In  Sheridan’s  Memoirs. 


374 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


not  send  a staff  officer  and  have  your  people 
cease  firing;  they  are  violating  the  flag.” 
He  answered : “ I have  no  staff  officer  to 

send.”  Sheridan  loaned  him  one  of  his,  who 
dashed  off  with  an  order  from  General  Gor- 
don to  General  Gary,  commanding  a small 
brigade  of  South  Carolina  Cavalry,  to  dis- 
continue firing,  only  to  get  Gary’s  reply: 
“ I do  not  care  for  white  flags : South 
Carolinians  never  surrender.” 

But  they  did ; for  Merritt’s  patience  was 
exhausted  and  he  ordered  an  attack,  that 
before  long  “ set  things  to  rights  ” again. 

With  quiet  restored  the  conference  was 
resumed  by  General  Gordon  remarking: 
“ General  Lee  asks  for  a suspension  of  hos- 
tilities pending  the  negotiations  which  he 
is  having  with  General  Grant.”  Sheridan 
responded : “ I have  been  constantly  in- 

formed of  the  progress  of  the  negotiations, 
and  think  it  singular  that  while  such  negotia- 
tions are  going  on,  General  Lee  should  have 
continued  his  march  and  attempted  to  break 
through  my  lines  this  morning.  I will 
entertain  no  terms  except  that  General  Lee 
shall  surrender  to  General  Grant  on  his  ar- 
rival here.  If  these  terms  are  not  accepted 
we  will  renew  hostilities.”  General  Gor- 
don replied ; “ General  Lee’s  army  is  ex- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY.  375 

hausted.  There  is  no  doubt  of  his  surrender 
to  General  Grant.” 

It  was  half  an  hour  later,  when  Gordon 
brought  General  Longstreet  up  and  renewed 
these  assurances ; and  Sheridan  sent  his  as- 
sistant adjutant  general,  Colonel  Hewhall,* 
with  Lee’s  note  Longstreet  had  brought  up 
to  find  General  Grant. 

At  Longstreet’s  request,  fearing  that  Gen- 
eral Meade,  not  knowing  the  new  situation, 
might  attack  him,  General  J.  W.  Forsyth 
of  Sheridan’s  staff  was  sent  to  General 
Meade  by  a short  route  through  the  Con- 
federate lines,  conducted  by  Colonel  Fair- 
fax of  General  Longstreet’s  staff ; for  Gen- 
eral Meade  was  not  without  the  suspicions 
that  by  renewed  correspondence  Lee  was  en- 
deavoring to  gain  time  to  escape.  Thus  it 
came  about  that  at  noon  General  Meade 
wrote  to  General  Lee  the  foregoing  note  agree- 
ing to  a suspension  of  hostilities  until  two 
o’clock,  “ to  enable  General  Forsyth  to  re- 
turn and  report  my  action.” 

* The  “ notes  ” of  which  Chapters  I.  to  XII.  of  this 
book  are  composed  were  written  before  the  publica- 
tion of  Colonel  Newhall’s  valuable  volume  entitled 
“ With  Sheridan  in  His  Last  Campaign.”  H.  E.  T. 


376 


THE  LAST  HO  UBS  OF 


GENERAL  GRANT  ARRIVES  AT  APPOMATTOX 
VILLAGE. 

On  the  road  towards  Prospect  Station  near 
its  intersection  with  the  Walker’s  Church 
road  and  about  five  or  six  miles  from  Appo- 
mattox, Colonel  ISTewhall  met  General  Grant. 
In  attempting  to  conduct  him  and  his  staff 
to  Sheridan  by  a “ short  cut  ” he  lost  his 
bearings,  and  came  into  view  of  the  Confed- 
erate lines,  which  it  would  have  been  more 
than  awkward,  under  the  circumstances,  for 
that  particular  party  to  have  encountered. 
So  steps  were  quickly  retraced ; and  it  was 
one  o’clock  before  General  Grant  arrived  at 
the  edge  of  Appomattox  village,  “ or  cross- 
roads, for  it  was  little  more,”  where  he  was 
met  by  Generals  Ord  and  Sheridan,  who  were 
dismounted.  “ How  are  you,  Sheridan  ? ” 
said  Grant.  “ Pirst  rate,”  replied  Sheridan. 
“ Is  General  Lee  up  there?”  asked  Grant, 
pointing  to  the  “ village.”  Sheridan  an- 
swered : “ There  is  his  army  down  in  that 

valley,  and  he  himself  is  over  in  that  house 
(designating  McLean’s  house)  waiting  to  sur- 
render to  you.”  Then  Grant  said  to  Ord 
and  Sheridan,  “ Come,  let  us  go  over,”  and 
they  mounted  and  followed  with  no  little 
cavalcade  to  the  house  where  General  Lee 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


377 


had  already  arrived  in  consequence  of  a mes- 
sage received  by  him  from  General  Grant 
through  his  aide,  Colonel  Babcock,  con- 
senting to  the  interview  asked  for  by  Lee  in 
the  note  sent  through  General  Meade’s  front. 

General  Grant  had  been  quite  indisposed, 
but  replied  to  one  of  his  staff  during  the  Sun- 
day morning’s  ride  that  “ The  pain  in  my 
head  seemed  to  leave  me  the  moment  I got 
Lee’s  letter.” 

iSTothing  was  more  natural  than  that  Grant, 
as  he  broke  his  headquarters  camp  on  the 
morning  of  the  ninth,  should  take  his  head- 
quarters to  the  new  front  to  be  established  by 
the  night  march  his  troops  were  making  di- 
rectly across  Lee’s  road  of  retreat.  Sheri- 
dan says  that  General  Grant  that  morning 
started  for  that  front  in  consequence  of  the 
two  dispatches  Grant  received  from  Sheri- 
dan late  in  the  night  of  April  eighth  (re- 
ferring to  those  given  at  prior  pages). 

General  Sheridan  sent  off  his  two  dis- 
patches of  the  previous  evening  from  his  head- 
quarters, which  he  had  established  for  the 
night  of  the  eighth  at  a little  farmhouse  just 
south  of  the  railroad  station.  He  says  he 
“ did  not  sleep  at  all  that  night,  nor  did  any- 
body else,  the  entire  command  being  up  all 
night  long.”  But  as  a matter  of  fact,  here 


378 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


and  there  some  sleep  was  obtained  by  the  sol- 
diers ; the  cavalry  commands  being  accus- 
tomed to  give  each  other  opportunities  for 
short  rests  under  specially  trying  campaign 
exigencies.  The  stall's  were  kept  going  to 
and  fro,  many  officers  going  both  to  Generals 
Ord  and  Grant  requesting  that  the  infantry 
be  pushed  forward  all  night. 

General  Ord  reached  Sheridan  before  sun- 
rise ; and  although  outranking  him  he  heard 
all  Sheridan’s  suggestions  apparently  with 
favor,  for  he  afterwards  acted  upon  them. 
He  rode  back  to  urge  along  his  weary  sol- 
diers who  had  marched  all  night  long;  while 
Sheridan  himself  rode  to  overlook  the  lines 
of  his  own  front  nearer  Appomattox  Court 
House. 

General  Grant  started  early  from  his  own 
headquarters  and  proceeded  at  once  to  the 
point  of  apparent  crisis ; leaving  General 
Meade  to  conduct  the  pursuit  in  assailing,  as 
he  was  ordered,  the  rear  of  Lee’s  retreating 
columns.  With  the  Second  and  Sixth  Corps 
and  the  artillery,  Grant  was  sure  that  Gen- 
eral Meade  would  gain  and  not  yield  ground ; 
while  Grant  should  attack  Lee  on  his  outer 
front  and  left  flank. 

A zealous  biographer  * of  General  Meade 
* Life  of  Meade,  by  R.  M.  Bache. 


SHERIDAN ’S  CAVALRY. 


379 


has  violently  (in  1897)  assailed  General 
Grant  [as  General  Meade  never  thought  of 
doing]  for  “ abruptly  ” leaving  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  army  of  the  Potomac  infantry  “ to 
reach  the  position  of  Sheridan ; and  with- 
out awaiting  the  reply  to  his  (Grant’s)  last 
letter  to  Lee,”  which  had  been  promptly  dis- 
patched by  Grant.  The  absurd  charge  is 
made  that  Grant  “ had  left  the  rear  of  the 
second  corps  through  which  he  had  success- 
fully carried  on  his  own  correspondence  with 
Lee,  and  had  taken  the  devious  (he  took  the 
only  available)  route  to  Lee’s  rear  (he  really 
went  to  Lee’s  front ) which  would  be  sure  to 
delay  his  receipt  of  Lee’s  reply  to  his  last 
communication  ” (which  was  declining  a 
purposeless  interview).  And  so  it  is  se- 
riously set  out  that  General  Grant,  after  ex- 
pressing his  “ desire  to  put  a stop  to  the  fur- 
ther effusion  of  blood  and  the  destruction  of 
property,  was  not  so  far  advanced  towards 
those  ends  as  was  Lee  who  had  assented  to 
their  desirability ! ” 

Grant’s  whole  army  was  moving;  Lee  had 
refused  to  surrender ; the  crisis  of  battle  was 
to  occur  over  the  possession  and  control  of  the 
Lynchburg  road  beyond  Appomattox.  To 
that  point  Union  troops  had  been  marching 
all  night.  To  that  point  more  than  half  of 


380 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


Grant’s  army  would  arrive,  unless  he  has- 
tened, before  Grant  himself  could  reach  the 
battle  ground.  They  were  troops  from  three 
separate  armies,  the  Army  of  the  James,  Sher- 
idan’s Army  of  the  Valley  and  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac.  Nothing  was  more  urgent  than 
there  should  he  no  delay,  no  halting,  no  fric- 
tion of  commanders,  no  discordant  possibili- 
ties ; but  a unity  of  command,  an  unquestion- 
able commander  on  the  battlefield.  Meade 
with  the  Second  and  Sixth  corps  was  touching 
Lee’s  real',  would  halt  it,  and  shortly  would 
furiously  battle  with  it.  That  battle  could 
have  but  one  result  so  long  as  Grant  was 
crowding  the  forces  of  Sheridan  and  Ord  and 
Griffin  upon  the  only  road  by  which  Lee  could 
further  retreat.  The  battle  Meade  was  or- 
dered to  wage  depended  for  its  consequences 
upon  Grant’s  success  in  reaching  Lee’s  front 
upon  the  road. 

Grant  would  have  been  neglectful  of  his 
duty  as  a commander  on  that  morning  had  he 
tarried  a moment  to  await  an  unpromised  let- 
ter from  Lee,  instead  of  pushing  as  he  did, 
notwithstanding  he  was  almost  too  ill  for  the 
saddle,  to  reach  the  battlefield  where  Sheri- 
dan had  the  night  before  already  commenced 
the  final  engagement  of  the  war.  To 
charge  the  commanding  general  with  avoid- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY.  381 

ing  “a  solution  of  the  difficulties  ” of  blood- 
shed in  war,  grounded  on  what  is  wantonly 
styled  “ the  implacable  foe  of  his  better  self, 
favoritism,”  when  in  truth  General  Grant 
was  only  doing  what  any  level-headed  gen- 
eral ought  to  have  done,  is  to  discredit  the 
author  of  such  a charge,  to  nullify  his  author- 
ity as  a conscientious  biographer,  and  so  in- 
jure— if  he  could — the  untarnished  repute  of 
his  biographical  subject. 

THE  CONFEDERATE  INTENTIONS. 

Had  General  Lee,  as  he  rode  to  what  he 
styled  “ the  picket  line  ” expecting  to  meet 
General  Grant,  and  before  learning  there  the 
outcome  of  his  Sunday  morning  collisions, 
intended  to  surrender  his  army  absolutely, 
lie  would  have  halted  his  army  in  a compact 
defensive  position.  The  evidence  points  to 
the  absence  of  any  such  intention  on  his  part. 
He  might  have  been  willing  to  recognize  the 
inevitable;  but  until  the  morning’s  battle  had 
progressed  beyond  the  first  Confederate  suc- 
cesses, and  had  reached  the  second  stage  pre- 
saging a sanguinary  Confederate  defeat, 
there  seemed  no  other  Confederate  intention 
than  to  escape  with  as  much  as  possible,  and 


382 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


to  capitulate  with  as  little  as  possible,  on  the 
best  terms  obtainable.  See  pp.  327,  433,  434. 

So  it  came  about  that  at  12.20  o’clock 
Humphreys  ordered  that  “ everything  will 
remain  as  now  for  one  hour.  The  same 
thing  is  done  by  the  enemy.”  At  9 A.  M. 
he  had  reported  that  the  fighting  “ is  still 
continuing  ” at  Appomattox  Court  House. 

At  noon  also  the  singular  fact  remains  that 
while  the  commanding  general  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  (Meade)  wrote  Lee  that  he 
had  “ no  authority  to  suspend  hostilities,” 
yet  at  the  same  moment  the  finesse  of  the 
Confederate  Generals  had  already  procured  a 
truce ; and  more  or  less  of  the  Confederate 
Cavalry  had  continued  to  escape.  F or  the  one 
side  the  truce  was  actual ; for  the  other  it  was 
nominal.  Between  the  alternatives  of  es- 
cape and  surrender  it  was  not  strange  that 
discipline  was  necessarily  relaxed.  The  or- 
ders for  Lee’s  cavalry  to  escape  do  not  seem 
to  have  been  countermanded ; but  were  in 
large  part  successfully  carried  out. 

ISTor  were  all  minds  inspired  exclusively 
with  plans  for  “ escape.”  General  Merritt, 
on  April  9,  wrote  Sheridan  that  his  chief 
surgeon  heard  it  from  Confederate  surgeons 
in  a hospital  that  “ Lee  is  said  to  have  ridden 
along  his  army  lines  and  assured  his  soldiers 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


383 


of  a glorious  victory  shortly,” — referring 
probably  to  an  occurrence  on  the  seventh  or 
eighth  of  April. 

Fitzhugh  Lee  with  five  of  his  staff  came  in 
and  surrendered  to  General  Meade,  on  April 
11,  saying  that  “ on  hearing  of  the  surrender 
of  the  Confederate  army  he  ordered  his  com- 
mand to  disperse  and  return  to  their  homes  ” 
as  reported  to  Grant  by  Meade  April  12. 

But  this  will  suffice  from  “ the  record  ” 
about  the  military  politics  of  this  famous  bat- 
tle day. 

When  the  two  commanders  finally  came  to- 
gether at  the  dwelling  of  Mr.  McLean,  near 
the  Court  House,  the  conversation  was  com- 
paratively brief.  Grant  describes  it  in  his 
memoirs.  Drafts  were  made  of  the  two  let- 
ters to  be  exchanged,  and  that  were  finally  ex- 
changed. There  was  an  awkward  pause  while 
the  copies  were  being  made.  Something  was 
said  by  Lee  about  rations.  Afterwards,  a 
wagon  train  of  rations  was  seen  wending  its 
way  from  the  Union  army  into  Lee’s  camp. 
The  result  of  the  talk  by  the  chiefs  was 
summed  up  in  the  two  concluding  letters 
simultaneously  signed.  These  letters  were 
as  follows : 

Appomattox  Court  House,  Va.,  April  9,  1865. 
General  R.  E.  Lee. 

General  : In  accordance  with  f ixe  substance  of 
my  letter  to  you  of  the  8th  instant,  I propose  to  re- 


38L 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


ceive  the  surrender  of  the  Array  of  Northern  Vir- 
ginia on  the  following  terms,  to  wit : Rolls  of  all  the 
officers  and  men  to  be  made  in  duplicate,  one  copy 
to  be  given  to  an  officer  to  be  designated  by  me,  the 
other  to  be  retained  by  such  officer  or  officers  as  you 
may  designate.  The  officers  to  give  their  individual 
paroles  not  to  take  up  arms  against  the  government 
of  the  United  States  until  properly  exchanged  ; and 
each  company  or  regimental  commander  sign  a like 
parole  for  the  men  of  their  commands.  Ttie  arms, 
artillery  and  public  property  to  be  parked  and 
stacked,  and  turned  over  to  the  officers  appointed  by 
me  to  receive  them.  Tiiis  will  not  embrace  the  side 
arms  of  the  officers,  nor  their  private  horses  or  bag- 
gage. This  done,  each  officer  and  man  will  be  allowed 
to  return  to  his  home,  not  to  be  disturbed  by  U.  S. 
authority  so  long  as  they  observe  their  paroles  and 
the  laws  in  force  where  they  may  reside. 

U.  S.  Grant, 
Lieutenant-General.” 
“Headquarters  Army  of  Northern  Virginia. 

April  9,  1865. 

Lieut.-Gen.  U.  S.  Grant. 

General  : I have  received  your  letter  of  this  date 
containing  the  terms  of  surrender  of  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia  as  proposed  by  you.  As  they  are 
substantially  the  same  as  those  expressed  in  your 
letter  of  the  8th  instant,  they  are  accepted.  I will 
proceed  to  designate  the  proper  officers  to  carry  the 
stipulations  into  effect. 

R.  E.  Lee, 
General.” 

When  these  two  letters  were  signed  and  delivered 
the  interview  terminated  as  it  had  begun,  with  all 
the  politeness  and  dignity  due  to  the  occasion. 

The  glee  of  the  Union  officers  in  dispersing  to  their 
several  posts  was  illustrated  by  Sheridan’s  enthusi- 
asm, and  his  purchase  of  the  table  on  which  the  sur- 
render letters  were  signed, — giving  for  it  some  of  the 
gold  coin  which  he  was  in  the  habit  of  jingling  in  his 
trousers  pockets.  Presenting  the  table  to  Custer, 
the  latter,  with  a boyish  prank,  lifted  it  upon  his 
own  head,  and  seizing  the  legs  to  steady  his  burden 
ran  away  with  it  from  the  house  in  joyous  pride  at 
his  valued  prize. 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


385 


Turning  to  the  doings  of  the  Union 
troops  themselves,  the  official  narrative  is  re- 
sumed as  freshly  penned  by  their  leaders 
in  the  performance  of  their  regular  duties. 
All  is  brief  and  soldierly,  and  although 
penned  during,  and  with  the  belief  in  an  en- 
during, peace,  the  paragraphs  are  wonder- 
fully free  from  the  natural  elation  that  might 
be  looked  for,  and  evince  almost  a studied 
avoidance  of  the  actual  joyousness  that  in- 
flamed their  authors. 

EEPOETS  OF  THE  UHION  GEXEEAES. 

The  Union  forces  consisted  of  troops  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and  Army  of  the 
James,  the  former  commanded  by  Major- 
General  Meade  and  the  latter  by  Major-Gen- 
eral Ord.  The  cavalry  of  the  latter,  how- 
ever, under  Brigadier-General  Mackenzie  was 
ordered  to  report  to  Major-General  Sheridan, 
and  by  the  latter  ordered  to  report  to  Major- 
General  Crook. 

Sheridan’s  immediate  command  was  of  all 
the  cavalry ; but  as  Sheridan  was  a “ De- 
partment ” commander, — he  having  come 
from  the  Shenandoah  Valley  wTith  troops 
from  that  Army  or  Department, — he  re- 
ported directly  to  General  Grant.  Sher- 
idan’s command,  therefore,  included  Crook’s 
25 


38G 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


Division  (2d  Division)  consisting  of  all  the 
cavalry  that  had  continuously  remained  with 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  the  two 
cavalry  divisions  that  had  come  from  the 
Shenandoah  Valley  under  Generals  Custer 
(3d  Division)  and  Thomas  Devin  (1st 
Division.)  Each  of  these  divisions  com- 
prised nominally  three  brigades;  but  in 
numbers  some  of  the  “ brigades  ” did  not 
equal  a regiment : — a circumstance  which 
must  always  he  considered  in  comparing  the 
aggregate  troops  in  Union  divisions  with  Con- 
federate divisions,  the  latter  usually  com- 
prising also  four  or  more  brigades. 

General  Ord,  although  commander  of  the 
Army  of  the  James,  only  had  with  him  the 
24th  Corps  under  Major  General  Gibbon, 
and  one  Division  of  the  25th  Corps,  and 
Mackenzie’s  small  brigade  of  cavalry. 

General  Meade  exercised  immediate  com- 
mand only  over  the  combined  Second-Third 
(Humphreys’),  the  Fifth  (Griffin’s)  and  the 
Sixth  (Wright’s)  Corps.  The  Sixth  Corps, 
however,  did  not  participate  in  the  Appomat- 
tox battle;  although  had  the  battle  continued 
ail  day  it  would  have  reached  the  field  in 
ample  season  to  assist ; lining  up,  as  the  in- 
tention was,  on  the  right  of  the  Second  Corps. 

A notable  feature  of  this  campaign  from 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


3S7 


the  fall  of  Petersburg  is  the  personal  direc- 
tion by  General  Grant  of  the  daily  operations 
of  each  particular  corps,  and  sometimes  of 
divisions.  His  directions,  however,  were 
always  scrupulously  given  through  the  par- 
ticular army  commander. 

The  movements  of  Grant’s  forces  on  the 
8th  and  9th  emphasize  this  feature,  and 
bring  out  in  bold  relief  the  unity  of  motion 
that  comes  from  a strong  directing  mind  bent 
upon  permitting  no  ambiguity  of  orders,  and 
thus  working  harmoniously  all  the  forces  to- 
wards the  grand  result  aimed  at. 

It  was  the  marches  made  under  these 
orders  on  the  eighth  of  April  that  made  the 
battle  of  the  ninth  a final  engagement.  Hot 
a division,  not  a brigade,  not  a regiment  or 
a battery  that  was  essential  to  that  battle  of 
the  morning  of  the  ninth  was  out  of  its 
needed  place.  At  times  it  did  seem  to  those 
hard  pressed  on  the  early  field  that  others 
not  yet  up  should  arrive;  but  all  this  had 
been  anticipated,  and  no  efforts  were  spared 
in  crowding  forward  all  the  needed  troops. 
The  new  arrivals  came  none  too  soon.  Had, 
for  instance,  Foster’s  Division  of  the  24th 
Corps  arrived  an  hour  later,  it  is  easy  to 
speculate  what,  if  anything,  would  that 
morning  have  been  surrendered. 


388 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


The  marches  from  and  after  the  morning: 
of  the  eighth  were  laid  out  by  General  Grant 
after  the  reports  had  reached  him  at  Farm- 
ville  of  the  battle  of  the  seventh  of  April 
fought  on  the  Union  side  by  Humphreys’ 
(Second)  Corps  and  Crook’s  Division  (2d) 
of  cavalry. 

This  was  Grant’s  order  issued  that  even- 
ing (April  7th)  from  his  headquarters  at 
Farmville,  where  Lee’s  headquarters  had 
been  the  night  before : 

“ General  Meade: 

Order  the  Fifth  Corps  to  follow  the 
Twenty-fourth  at  6 A.  M.  up  the  Lynchburg 
road,  the  Second  and  Sixth  to  follow  the 
enemy  north  of  the  river. 

U.  S.  Grant, 

Lieutenant-General 

Sheridan  had  been  ordered,  and  was  al- 
ready in  two  columns  well  on  his  way 
towards  Appomattox  depot,  one  column 
moving  by  way  of  Prospect  Station,  and  the 
other  column  still  further  to  the  left,  and 
more  directly  across  the  path  of  the  enemy’s 
road  at  Appomattox. 

It  was  the  long  and  severe  march  of  these 
columns  that  created  the  surprises  of  the 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


389 


night  of  the  eighth,  as  reported  by  the  Con- 
federate commanders,  who  mistakenly  re- 
garded them  as  forays  by  small  parties. 
General  R.  E.  Lee  officially  reported  them  as 
having  been  “ repelled.” ( ?) 

On  the  eighth  of  April  Sheridan  reported 
that  “ should  we  not  intercept  the  enemy  and 
he  be  forced  into  Lynchburg,  his  surrender 
then  is  beyond  question  ” ; and  that  “ he 
must  have  taken  the  fine  road  north  of  the 
Appomattox  River.” 

Sheridan’s  conduct  and  language  assumed, 
as  the  facts  subsequently  transpired,  that 
General  Lee  had  no  intention  of  surrender- 
ing his  army , absolutely  and  completely , un- 
less he  should  be  compelled  to  do  so.  Lee’s 
orders  and  the  conduct  of  all  his  principal 
generals,  showed  that  Sheridan’s  assumption 
was  correct. 

With  this  explanatory  preface  of  the  situa- 
tion the  non-military  reader  will  better  enjoy 
the  further  narrative  of  the  battle  and  sur- 
render at  Appomattox,  in  the  language  of 
the  chief  commanders. 

First  in  order,  therefore,  would  be  the  fol- 
lowing extract  from  the  official  report  of 
Major-General  Meade.  Under  date  of  April 
30th  1865,  General  Meade  says: 


390 


TIIE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


GENERAL  MEADe’s  REPORT. 

“ The  next  day,  April  8,  the  pursuit  was 
continued  on  the  Lynchburg  stage  road.  On 
the  9th,  at  12  M.,  the  head  of  the  Second 
Corps,  when  within  three  miles  of  Appomat- 
tox Court  House,  came  up  with  the  enemy. 
At  the  same  time  I received  a letter  from 
General  Lee  asking  for  a suspension  of  hos- 
tilities pending  negotiations  for  surrender. 
Soon  after  receiving  this  letter  Brigadier- 
General  Forsyth,  of  General  Sheridan’s 
staff,  came  through  the  enemy’s  lines  and 
notified  me  a truce  had  been  made  by  Major- 
General  Ord,  commanding  the  troops  on  the 
other  side  of  Appomattox  Court  House.  In 
consequence  of  this  I replied  to  General  Lee 
that  I should  suspend  hostilities  for  two 
hours.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time  I 
received  the  instructions  of  the  lieutenant- 
general  commanding  to  continue  the  armis- 
tice until  further  orders,  and  about  4 p.  m. 
I received  the  welcome  intelligence  of  the 
surrender  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Vir- 
ginia.” 

Following  this  brief  report  of  General 
Meade,  it  would  be  of  interest  to  read  what 
is  reported  by  some  of  his  subordinate  Gen- 
erals. So  here  is  what  General  A.  A.  Hum- 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


391 


phreys  commanding  the  Second  Corps 
(which  included  the  remnants  also  of  the 
old  Third  Corps,  assigned  to  Humphreys’ 
Third  Division),  speaking  of  April  9th, 
says : 


SECOND  CORPS  REPORT. 

“ As  soon  as  the  rations  could  he  issued  the 
troops  moved  forward  again  (at  8 A.  M.) 
and  at  11  A.  M.  came  up  with  the  enemy’s 
skirmishers  about  three  miles  from  Appomat- 
tox Court  House,  where  they  remained  dur- 
ing the  day  under  the  flag  of  truce.  At 
about  4 P.  M.  it  was  announced  that  the 
Army  of  Northern  Virginia  had  capitulated. 
[Extract  of  Report  of  A.  A.  Humphreys, 
Major-General,  Commanding.  Dated,  Head- 
quarters Second  Army  Corps,  Virginia, 
April  21,  1865.”] 

The  flag  of  truce  referred  to  was  brought 
to  the  lines  of  the  140th  Pennsylvania  regi- 
ment of  this  corps,  whose  commander,  under 
date  of  April  16,  1865,  says: 

“ Our  march  toward  Lynchburg  on  the  8th 
was  uninterrupted,  and  we  continued  the  pur- 
suit of  the  enemy  until  12  o’clock  at  night. 
On  the  morning  of  the  9th,  being  the  Sab- 


392 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


bath,  we  were  placed  in  the  advance,  and 
through  the  skirmish  line  of  this  regiment 
the  flag  of  truce  was  entertained  which  ter- 
minated in  the  surrender  of  the  Confederate 
forces  under  the  command  of  General  Lee. 
I am  very  respectfully, 

W.  A.  F.  Stockton, 
Captain , Commanding  Regiment 

This  regiment  was  part  of  the  1st  brigade, 
1st  division  (Miles  Division)  of  the  Second 
Corps.  This  division  had  marched  only  six 
miles  that  morning  and  halted  at  11  A.  M. 
near  the  enemy’s  skirmishes,  as  stated  in  the 
brigade  and  division  reports. 

FIFTH  CORPS  REPORT. 

General  Meade’s  old  corps,  the  Fifth, 
was  commanded  by  Brevet  Major-General 
Charles  Griffin,  who  reports  having  moved 
in  obedience  to  the  orders  issued  by  Grant, 
as  already  quoted,  his  corps  marching  toward 
the  Lynchburg  railroad  ‘ ‘ striking  it  at  Pros- 
pect Station,  thence  following  the  Twenty- 
fourth  Corps  toward  Appomattox  Court- 
House,  bivouacking  the  next  morning  about 
2 A.M.,  within  about  two  miles  of  the  above 
place,  having  marched  a distance  of  twenty- 
nine  miles.  The  march  from  Prospect 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


393 


Station  was  very  slow  and  tedious,  the  road 
being  obstructed  by  the  repeated  and  long 
baits  of  the  Twenty-fourth  Corps.” 

The  same  report  thus  continues  : ‘ ‘ April  9 
the  Corps  moved  about  4 A.  M.,  reaching 
general  headquarters  near  Appomattox  Court 
House,  about  6 A.  M.  Very  soon  after  it 
was  reported  that  the  cavalry  were  heavily 
engaged  and  hard  pressed.  The  Twenty- 
fourth  Corps  was  moving  when  the  Second 
Division,  under  General  Ayres,  moved  on 
a parallel  line  rapidly  toward  the  firing. 
A message  was  received  from  General 
Sheridan,  through  his  aide,  Captain  Martin, 
that  the  enemy  was  pressing  back  the  cav- 
alry. General  Ayres  immediately  pushed 
forward  his  division  at  a double-quick, 
and  deployed  the  One  Hundred  and  Nine- 
tieth and  One  Hundred  and  Ninety-first 
Pennsylvania  Volunteers,  under  Colonel 
Pattee,  as  skirmishers,  they  being  armed 
with  the  Spencer  rifle,  and  the  rest  of  the 
division  in  two  lines  of  battle.  The  First 
Division,  under  General  Bartlett,  came  up 
on  the  right,  and  formed  two  lines  of  battle, 
with  the  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-fifth  Penn- 
sylvania, a portion  of  the  One  Hundred  and 
Ninety -eighth  Pennsylvania,  and  the  One 


394 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


Hundred  and  Eighty-fifth  Hew  York  Volun- 
teers as  a skirmish  line.  All  immediately 
moved  forward  and  attacked  the  enemy, 
pushing  him  back,  and  driving  both  his  in- 
fantry and  artillery  from  the  hills  westward 
through  the  town,  taking  a number  of  prison- 
ers, several  wagons,  caissons,  and  limbers. 
A portion  of  the  skirmish  line  had  entered 
the  town,  being  strongly  supported  by  our 
lines  of  battle,  when  a message  was  received 
from  General  Sheridan  that  hostilities 
would  he  suspended,  as  General  Lee  was 
about  to  surrender.  ’ ’ [Extract  of  report  of 
Chas.  Griffin,  Brev.  Maj.-Genl,  commanding 
Fifth  Corps  Army  of  the  Potomac,  dated, 
Nottoway  Court  House,  April  29,  1865.] 

The  Division  of  this  (Fifth)  Corps  that 
first  reached  the  Appomattox  field,  where 
Sheridan  at  that  moment  greatly  needed  it, 
was  the  First  Division,  under  Joshua  L. 
Chamberlain,  its  senior  Brigade  Com- 
mander ; whose  brigade,  General  Griffin,  in  a 
special  commentary  report,  says  was  driving 
the  enemy  when  the  truce  was  ordered. 

GENERAL  CHAMBERLAIN’S  OFFICIAL  NAR- 
RATIVE IS  AS  FOLLOWS  : 

u Marched  at  4 A.  M.  on  the  9th  to  the 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


395 


vicinity  of  Appomattox  Court  House,  being 
but  a short  distance,  and  found  the  cavalry 
warmly  engaged.  My  brigade  having  the 
advance  was  filed  to  the  right,  moved  to  the 
rear  of  the  cavalry,  and  formed  on  the  right 
of  the  division  and  corps,  in  two  lines.  A 
heavy  skirmish  line  was  thrown  forward, 
connecting  with  the  Third  Brigade  skir- 
mishers on  the  left,  and  our  lines  advanced 
against  the  enemy,  relieving  the  cavalry,  who 
reformed  on  my  right.  The  skirmishers 
drove  the  enemy  rapidly  before  them,  while 
our  line  of  battle  was  opened  on  by  a battery 
in  the  town,  my  right  being  exactly  in  the 
line  of  fire.  My  skirmish  line  had  reached 
the  town,  its  right  being  at  the  house  of  Mrs. 
Wright,  and  my  line  of  battle  was  rapidly 
closing  on  them,  when  a flag  of  truce  came 
in  with  an  aide  of  the  commanding  officer  of 
the  opposing  forces,  who  was  referred  to 
the  major-general  commanding.  I soon  after 
received  the  order  to  halt  my  lines  and  to 
cease  the  skirmishing.  During  the  confer- 
ence which  ensued  we  remained  as  we  had 
halted,  and  afterward  went  into  camp  near 
the  same  ground.  My  loss  this  day  was,  one 
killed  and  one  wounded,  Lieut.  Hiram  Clark, 
of  the  One  Hundred  and  Eighty-fifth  Hew 


396 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


York  being  instantly  killed  by  a cannon-shot, 
just  as  the  flag  of  truce  came  in.* 

Respectfully  submitted, 

J.  L.  Chamberlain, 

Brig.-Genl.,  Late  Commdg.  First  Brigade. 
Capt.  William  Fowler, 

AssL  Adjt.  Gen.,  First  Div.  Fifth  Corps. 

Dated  Camp  of  First  Division,  Fifth 
Corps,  April  24,  1865.”  [Extract  of  Report.] 

Here  is  what  is  said  by  some  of  Chamber- 
lain’s subordinate  commanders : 

Brevet  Brigadier-General  E.  M.  Gregory, 
Commanding  Second  Brigade,  1st  Division, 
Fifth  Corps,  reports: 

“ April  9,  moved  at  5.30  A.  M.,  following 
Third  Brigade,  the  First  Brigade  leading,  and 
marched  some  three  miles.  Found  the  cav- 
alry engaged  with  the  enemy  near  Appomat- 
tox Court  House.  I formed  my  brigade  in 
two  lines  of  battle,  joining  the  Third  Brigade 
on  the  right,  and  sent  forward  a line  of  skir- 
mishers. Advancing  toward  the  crest  of  the 
hill  (Clover)  in  perfect  order  and  precision, 
we  halted  at  9.30  A.  M.  when  the  word  came 
of  the  surrender  of  General  Lee,  commanding 
Confederate  forces.  This  was  given  us  by 

* Copy  of  so  much  of  this  Report  as  relates  to 
operations,  April  1-5,  was  furnished  General  Sher- 
idan April  14. 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


397 


an  officer  of  General  Sheridan’s  staff.  This 
was  afterward  verified.”  First  Div.  Fifth 
Army  Corps,  April  18,  1865. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Daniel  Myers  in  this 
brigade,  commanding  187th  Few  York  Vol- 
unteers (April  19,  1S65)  says: 

“ Marched  on  the  8th  all  day  until  12  P. 
M.  ; went  into  bivouac,  with  orders  to  march 
at  4 A.  M.  Marched  at  5.30  A.  M.,  formed 
a line  of  battle  about  8,  and  advanced,  hold- 
ing the  left  of  the  first  line,  when  the  news 
of  the  proposed  surrender  of  Lee’s  army  was 
received.  Went  into  bivouac  about  4 P.  M.” 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Isaac  Doolittle  com- 
manding the  188th  Few  York  Volunteers 
(April  14,  1865)  says: 

“ April  9,  marched  to  Appomattox  Station, 
formed  line  of  battle,  and  were  advancing  on 
the  enemy  when  a flag  of  truce  was  received 
from  the  enemy,  when  all  operations  ceased. 
Bivouacked  for  the  night  near  Appomattox 
Station.” 

Capt.  George  E.  Abbott,  commanding  the 
First  Maine  Sharpshooters,  in  another  bri- 
gade of  this  corps,  reports  interestingly 
(April  24,  1865)  thus: 

“ At  5 A.  M.  the  9th  instant  marched  and 
proceeded  to  the  front,  passing  on  the  road 
cavalry  bringing  to  the  rear  captured  flags 


398 


TIIE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


and  guns ; formed  line  of  battle  and  advanced, 
the  enemy  shelling  us.  When  we  had  driven 
them  back  to  within  a mile  of  their  trains  a 
flag  of  truce  appeared  from  their  lines.  We 
were  halted  and  it  was  reported  that  the  en- 
emy had  surrendered. 

Private  Henry  Giles,  Company  A,  during 
the  advance  on  April  1,  in  crossing  a swamp, 
lost  his  company,  and  was  taken  prisoner  by 
a rebel  cavalryman,  who  disarmed  him ; 
watching  his  chance  he  sprung  under  the 
horse’s  neck  and  seized  the  cavalryman,  drag- 
ging him  from  his  horse,  at  the  same  time 
receiving  a severe  blow  on  the  head  and  arm. 
He  then  disarmed  him,  sprung  onto  the  horse, 
the  rebel  cavalry  after  him,  and  came  in  to- 
ward our  lines,  where  he  was  again  taken 
prisoner  by  oiir  troops  as  a rebel.  As  they 
were  taking  him  along  the  lines  I saw  him 
and  released  him.” 

The  report  of  Brig.-Gen’l  Joseph  Hayes 
commanding  Hirst  Brigade,  Second  Division, 
of  this  (Fifth)  Corps  says  (April  24,  1865) 
that  “ on  the  morning  of  the  9th,  marched  six 
miles  toward  Appomattox  and  formed  in  line 
of  battle  about  9 A.  M.  The  cavalry,  which 
had  been  engaging  the  enemy,  were  being  re- 
pulsed and  driven  back  when  this  brigade, 
■which  formed  the  head  of  the  column  of  the 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


399 


corps,  reached  the  field.  The  divisions  form- 
ing and  immediately  pressing  forward,  the 
enemy  gradually  withdrew.  Soon  a white 
flag  coming  from  the  enemy,  a halt  was  made 
in  our  advancing  lines,  and  hostilities  ceased.” 

Col.  T.  F.  McCoy,  commanding  the  107th 
Regiment  Pennsylvania  Veteran  Volunteers 
in  this  (Fifth)  corps,  under  date  of  April 
14th,  1865,  reports  thus: 

“ April  9,  soon  after  daylight  the  division 
was  again  on  the  march,  our  brigade  leading. 
Canonading  soon  began  forward  in  the  di- 
rection of  our  advance.  We  soon  came  near 
the  spot  where  this  last  skirmishing  with  the 
rebel  army  took  place,  and  found  that  the 
cavalry  under  Sheridan,  part  of  the  Twenty- 
fourth  Corps,  and  our  own  (Fifth  Corps) 
were  occupying  the  road  leading  through 
Appomattox  Court  House  toward  Lynchburg, 
over  which  General  Lee  with  his  army  must 
pass  if  he  ever  succeeded  in  reaching  that 
point.  At  this  time  our  columns  were  form- 
ing to  advance  upon  the  enemy,  then  a short 
distance  east  of  the  Court  House.  He,  find- 
ing himself  surrounded  on  all  sides  with 
nearly  the  whole  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and 
that  it  would  be  destruction  to  attempt  a 
further  advance,  sent  in  a white  flag,  which 
resulted  in  a truce  until  4 o’clock,  at  which 


400 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


hour  it  was  announced,  amidst  the  acclama- 
tions of  the  troops  present,  that  General  Lee 
had,  upon  conditions  proposed  by  Lieutenant- 
General  Grant,  surrendered  himself  and  the 
Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  under  his  com- 
mand. This  great  and  happy  event  closed 
the  operations  of  the  9th,  capping  the  climax 
of  great  achievements  for  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  and  rendering  it,  and  the  day  it- 
self, ever  memorable  in  history.” 

GENERAL  ORd’s  REPORT. 

The  report  of  Major-General  E.  0.  C.  Ord, 
dated  April  26,  1865,  commanding  the  Army 
of  the  James,  tersely  explains  the  whole  story 
of  Appomattox  in  a paragraph.  This  is  Gen- 
eral Ord’s  narrative  of  the  strategy  and  final 
collision.  He  says : 

“ At  Farmville  the  rebels  had  some  seven 
trains  of  supplies  which  had  come  down  from 
Lynchburg  to  meet  them,  hut  we  were  upon 
their  flank  and  rear  before  they  marched  into 
Farmville.  The  railroad  here  passed  to  the 
south  of  Appomattox,  the  main  road  to 
Lynchburg  to  the  north  of  it,  the  two  roads 
crossing  nearly  together  again  at  Appomattox 
Court  House ; so  that  General  Lee  not  being 
able  to  hold  Farmville  long  enough  to  get 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


401 


the  food  and  clothing  off  the  trains,  sent  them 
up  to  Appomattox  by  rail,  while  he  took  the 
Lynchburg  road  around  to  the  north  so  as  to 
strike  the  supplies  at  Appomattox ; but  Gen- 
eral Grant  was  too  quick  for  him,  dispatching 
Sheridan  with  his  cavalry  to  go  around  and 
head  them  at  Appomattox  at  once  (the  trains 
of  provisions  were  all  captured  or  driven 
hack),  and  dispatching  my  command  on  the 
heels  of  Sheridan,  with  directions  to  me  to 
pick  up  Griffin’s  corps,  then  pushing  from 
Prince  Edward  toward  Appomattox,  and 
with  both  corps  to  attach  Lee  on  the  head  and 
front. 

I marched  my  men  from  daylight  on  the 
8th  until  10  A.  M.  on  the  9th  of  April,  ex- 
cept three  hours,  and  deployed  my  two  corps 
across  the  head  of  the  valley  just  as  Lee’s 
advance  was  pushing  out  for  it ; for  in  spite 
of  Sheridan’s  attempts  to  hold  him,  our  cav- 
alry were  falling  bach  in  confusion  before 
Lee's  infantry. 

We  were  barely  in  time ; General  Lee  would 
not  believe  General  Gordon  when  the  latter 
told  him  Ord’s  army  was  in  his  front,  so  Gen- 
eral Gordon  told  me  after  the  surrender. 
(This  shows  that  General  Lee  expected  much 
of  his  army  to  escape  surrender. — H.  E.  T.) 
But  we  soon  deployed  and  went  in.  Gibbon 
26 


402 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


on  the  left  at  double  quick,  with  Foster’s  and 
Turner’s  divisions,  in  beautiful  style,  and  the 
colored  troops  also  at  the  double  quick,  under 
those  commanders,  with  the  Fifth  Corps 
under  Griffin ; thus  covering  all  the  valley 
that  led  toward  Lynchburg  and  adjacent  hill- 
sides, and  our  skirmishers  were  driving  in  the 
enemy’s,  so  that  seeing  no  escape , General  Lee 
sent  the  white  flag  forward,  which  met  me  at 
the  Fifth  Corps  front,  with  a request  for  ces- 
sation of  arms  until  he  could  meet  General 
Grant  and  confer  on  the  terms. 

As  I knew  that  a surrender  had  been  called 
for,  and  terms  asked  for  and  made  known,  I 
knew  this  second  request  meant  acceptance, 
and  the  bugles  were  sounded  to  halt.  The 
cheer  of  final  success  and  of  an  end  to  our 
hardships  went  up  with  a will  from  hillside 
to  hillside,  and  the  rebels  laid  down  (their) 
arms  that  night — it  is  to  be  hoped  never  to 
take  them  up  again  except  in  defense  of  our 
common  country. 

I do  not  think  the  troops  could  have  be- 
haved better ; their  hard  night  marching  and 
their  cheerfulness  under  hard  work  all  the 
time,  their  stubborn  fighting  at  Petersburg 
and  every  time  wTe  struck  the  retreating  rebels, 
proved  that  the  whole  army  was  inspired  with 
but  one  determination — to  hunt  the  rebels 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


403 


down  and  whip  them  into  surrender ; and  they 
did. 

Respectfully 

E.  O.  C.  Ord, 
Major-General  Volunteers.” 

SOME  CAVALRY  REPORTS. 

The  foregoing  extracts  from  reports  in  the 
Fifth  and  Second  Corps  and  from  General 
Ord’s  will  suffice  until  we  read  what  is  said 
by  Sheridan  and  his  officers. 

First  then  as  to  the  orders  given  by  Sheri- 
dan to  his  two  subordinate  chiefs,  Crook  and 
Merritt.  Here  they  are,  the  first  issued  for 
the  eighth,  and  the  second  as  the  “ starter” 
for  the  surrender  battle  of  the  Ninth: 

“Cavalry  Headquarters,  Prospect  Station, 

April  8,  1865. 

Maj.-Gen.  George  Crook , Commanding 
Second  Cav.  Div. 

General:  The  major-general  commanding 
directs  that  you  move  your  command  in  the 
direction  of  the  Appomattox  Depot,  so  as  to 
reach  there  to-night,  unless  the  enemy’s  move- 
ments interfere  with  these  instructions.  You 
will  move  your  division  on  the  road  running 
near  the  railroad.  General  Merritt  will  move 
his  command  on  the  direct  road  to  Appomat- 
tox Court  House,  and  will  move  on  Appomat- 


404 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


tox  Depot  when  he  arrives  in  the  vicinity  of 
Ferguson  Mountain. 

General  Merritt  will  be  required  to  keep 
open  communications  with  you  on  the  side 
roads.  General  Mackenzie  will  he  ordered  to 
report  to  you  with  his  command. 

Very  respectfully, 

Jas.  W.  Forsyth, 
Chief  of  Staff.” 

For  the  battle  of  Sunday,  the  ninth,  pre- 
paration was  made  by  the  orders  of  Saturday 
night  as  follows : 

“ Cavalry  Headquarters  Appomattox  Depot, 

April  8,  1865. 

(ORDERS)  The  troops  of  this  command 
will  be  formed  and  on  the  alert  at  4 A.  M.  to- 
morrow. By  command  of 

Major-General  Sheridan. 

Jas.  W.  Forsyth, 
Chief  of  Staff. 

General  Sheridan’s  report  upon  the  opera- 
tions of  the  eighth  and  ninth  of  April  is 
next  here  set  out,  followed  by  the  reports  of 
General  Merritt,  and  his  Division  command- 
ers Custer  and  Devin ; and  by  the  reports  of 
General  Crook,  commanding  Second  (or 
Army  of  Potomac)  Cavalry  Division;  and 
General  Mackenzie  commanding  the  Army  of 
the  James’  Cavalry;  together  with  other  ex- 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


405 


tracts  from  various  brigade  and  regimental 
reports  that  tell,  better  than  any  constructed 
narrative,  the  thrilling  experiences  of  the  Ap- 
pomattox battle. 

First  then  in  order  is  the  following: 

EXTRACT  FROM  GENERAL  SHERIDAN’S  OFFI- 
CIAL REPORT. 

“ On  the  morning  of  the  8th  Merritt  and 
Mackenzie  continued  the  march  to  Prospect 
Station,  and  Merritt’s  and  Crook’s  commands 
then  moved  on  to  Appomattox  Depot,  a point 
on  the  Lynchburg  railroad,  five  miles  south 
of  Appomattox  Court  House.  Shortly  after 
the  march  commenced,  Sergeant  White,  one 
of  my  scouts,  notified  me  that  there  were  four 
trains  of  cars  at  Appomattox  Depot  loaded 
with  supplies  for  General  Lee’s  army.  Gen- 
erals Merritt  and  Crook  were  at  once  notified, 
and  the  command  pushed  on  briskly  for 
twenty-eight  miles.  General  Custer  had  the 
advance,  and,  nearing  the  depot,  skillfully 
threw  a force  in  rear  of  the  trains  and  cap- 
tured them.  Without  halting  a moment  he 
pushed  on,  driving  the  enemy  (who  had 
reached  the  depot  about  the  same  time  as  our 
cavalry)  in  the  direction  of  the  Appomattox 
Court  House,  capturing  many  prisoners  and 
twenty-five  pieces  of  artillery,  a hospital 


406 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


train,  and  a large  park  of  wagons.  General 
Devin  coming  up  went  in  on  the  right  of 
Custer.  The  fighting  continued  till  after 
dark,  and  the  enemy  being  driven  to  Appo- 
mattox Court  House  I at  once  notified  the 
lieutenant-general,  and  sent  word  to  Generals 
Ord  and  Gibbon,  of  the  Army  of  the  James, 
and  General  Griffin,  commanding  the  Fifth 
Corps,  who  were  in  the  rear,  that  if  they 
pressed  on  there  was  now  no  means  of  es- 
cape for  the  enemy,  who  had  reached  the  last 
ditch. 

During  the  night,  although  we  knew  that 
the  remnant  of  Lee’s  army  was  in  our  front, 
we  held  fast  with  the  cavalry  to  what  we  had 
gained,  and  ram  the  captured  trains  back 
along  the  railroad  to  a point  where  they  would 
be  protected  by  our  infantry  that  was  coming 
up. 

The  Twenty-fourth  and  Fifth  Corps  and 
one  division  of  the  Twenty-fifth  Corps  ar- 
rived about  daylight  on  the  9th  at  Appomat- 
tox Depot.  After  consulting  with  General 
Ord,  who  was  in  command  of  these  corps, 
I rode  to  the  front,  near  Appomattox  Court 
House;  and  just  as  the  enemy  in  heavy  force 
was  attacking  the  cavalry  with  the  intention 
of  breaking  through  our  lines,  I directed  the 
cavalry,  which  was  dismounted,  to  fall  back 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


407 


gradually,  resisting  the  enemy,  so  as  to  give 
time  for  the  infantry  to  form  its  lines  and 
march  to  attach,  and  when  this  was  done  to 
move  off  to  the  right  flank  and  mount.  This 
was  done,  and  the  enemy  discontinued  his 
attach  as  soon  as  he  caught  sight  of  our  in- 
fantry. I moved  briskly  around  the  left  of 
the  enemy’s  line  of  battle,  which  was  falling 
back  rapidly,  heavily  pressed  by  the  advances 
of  the  infantry,  and  was  about  to  charge  the 
trains  and  the  confused  mass  of  the  enemy, 
when  a white  flag  was  presented  to  General 
Custer,  who  had  the  advance,  and  who  sent 
the  information  to  me  at  once  that  the  enemy 
desired  to  surrender. 

Riding  over  to  the  left  at  Appomattox 
Court  House  I met  Major-General  Gordon,  of 
the  rebel  service,  and  Major-General  Wilcox. 
General  Gordon  requested  a suspension  of 
hostilities  pending  negotiations  for  surrender 
then  being  held  between  Lieutenant-General 
Grant  and  General  Lee.  I notified  him  that 
I desired  to  prevent  the  unnecessary  effusion 
of  blood,  but  as  there  was  nothing  definitely 
settled  in  the  correspondence,  and  as  an  at- 
tach had  been  made  on  my  lines  with  the 
view  to  escape,  under  the  impression  our  force 
was  only  cavalry,  I must  have  some  assurance 
of  an  intended  surrender.  This  General  Gor~ 


408 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


don  gave,  by  saying  that  there  was  no  doubt 
of  the  surrender  of  General  Lee’s  army.  I 
then  separated  from  him,  with  an  agreement 
to  meet  these  officers  again  in  half  an  hour, 
at  Appomattox  Court  House.  At  the  speci- 
fied time,  in  company  with  General  Ord,  who 
commanded  the  infantry,  I again  met  this 
officer,  also  Lieutenant-General  Longstreet, 
and  received  from  them  the  same  assurances, 
and  hostilities  ceased  until  the  arrival  of 
Lieutenant-General  Grant.  I am,  sir,  very 
respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

P.  H.  Siieeidan, 
Major-General. 

To  Bvt.  MAj.-Gen.  J ohn  A.  Rawlins, 

Chief  of  Staff.” 

Mext  in  order  would  be  the  report  of  Gen- 
eral Wesley  Merritt,  commanding  the  two 
Cavalry  Divisions  of  Devin  and  Custer. 
This  report  is  dated  April  20th,  1865,  and  so 
far  as  it  relates  to  the  operations  under  con- 
sideration says : 

“ April  9th  at  daylight  the  command  was 
in  readiness  to  move.  General  Crook  relieved 
the  First  Division  in  the  position  which  it  had 
occupied  during  the  night  (i.  e.  advanced 
within  a short  distance  of  Appomattox  Court 
House,  being  posted  across  the  road  on  which 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


409 


the  enemy  was  attempting  to  move  and  ef- 
fectually destroying  his  chance  of  making  a 
night’s  march  in  retreat  as  he  intended  to  do 
as  on  former  occasions).  The  enemy  ad- 
vanced against  General  Crook’s  front  in 
heavy  force.  The  cavalry  was  forced  hack 
by  overwhelming  numbers. 

\ General  Custer  was  immediately  ordered 

1 to  move  up  with  his  division.  The  cavalry 
retired  slowly  but  of  necessity.  Soon  the 
24th  Corps  took  up  Custer’s  line  on  the  left 
of  the  First  Division  (Devin)  and  the  5th 
Corps  deployed  in  rear  of  Devin.  So  soon 
as  the  heavy  columns  of  the  enemy  discovered 
we  had  infantry  in  position,  he  abandoned 
his  evidently  formed  idea  of  forcing  the  road 
of  his  retreat  and  retired  precipitately  to- 
ward the  valley  where  his  wagon  train  was 
parked.  The  cavalry  now  disengaged  (i.  e. 
Merritt’s)  was  thrown  rapidly  to  the  right, 
taking  possession  of  the  high  ground  on  the 
enemy’s  left  within  a short  half  mile  of  his 
camp.  There  every  disposition  was  made  for 
an  attack.  The  rebel  army  was  at  our  mercy. 
The  artillery  played  rapidly  for  a few 
moments  when  a flag  of  truce  from  the 
enemy’s  lines  silenced  forever  the  noise  of 
battle  between  the  Union  and  rebel  armies  of 
.Virginia.” 


410 


THE  LAST  ROUES  OF 


The  report  of  General  Thomas  Devin, 
commanding  the  First  Division  of  Merrit’s 
Corps,  says : 

“ Heavy  firing  had  at  this  time  (i.  e.  on 
the  morning  of  April  9th)  commenced  in 
front  of  the  2d  (Crook’s)  Division.  The 
command  was  now  moved  to  the  right  and 
well  to  the  front  of  the  Second  Division  when 
the  enemy  was  discovered  advancing  in  two 
heavy  lines  of  battle  * * * Every  exertion 
was  made  to  effect  a diversion  in  favor  of 
General  Crook  and  hold  the  position  until 
the  arrival  of  our  infantry.  The  heavy 
masses  of  the  enemy  soon  forced  back  the 
Second  Division  and  a strong  line  was  now 
advanced  upon  the  First  Division. 

We  were  shortly  forced  back  and  after  a 
hard  fight  pushed  across  the  road,  Fuger’s 
section  (of  artillery)  remaining  in  position 
until  the  enemy’s  line  was  within  one  hundred 
yards  * * * The  whole  line  was  now  dis- 
mounted and  horses  retired ; barricades  were 
being  erected  and  every  precaution  made  to 
hold  the  crest  in  rear  when  the  Fifth  Corps 
arrived  and  advanced  in  line  of  battle  * * * 

The  division  was  now  ordered  to  mount 
* * * (the  Reserve  Brigade  being  already 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY.  41 1 

engaged  at  the  time  hostilities  were  ordered 
to  cease  ”). 

The  report  of  General  G.  A.  Cnster,  com- 
manding the  other  Division  (known  as  3d 
Division)  in  Merritt’s  Corps  is  dated  April 
15th,  1865,  and  says: 

“ From  Sailor’s  Creek  we  moved,  on  the 
7th  and  8th,  without  opposition  until  we 
reached  Appomattox  Station,  where  we  sur- 
prised the  enemy  and  captured  three  large 
trains  of  cars  loaded  with  rations  for  the  rebel 
army.  The  locomotives  being  in  good  run- 
ning order  the  trains,  with  their  contents, 
were  run  back  to  a point  of  safety,  in  the  di- 
rection of  Farmville.  Learning  that  the 
enemy  was  moving  a large  train  upon  the 
road  from  Appomattox  Court  House  across 
the  Lynchburg  railroad  I ordered  the  entire 
division  forward  to  attack.  The  train  was 
found  to  be  guarded  by  about  two  divisions 
of  infantry,  in  addition  to  over  thirty  pieces 
of  artillery,  all  under  command  of  Major- 
General  Walker.  Most  of  the  enemy’s  guard 
were  placed  in  position  and  their  fire  concen- 
trated upon  the  road  over  which  it  was  neces- 
sary for  me  to  advance.  The  enemy  suc- 
ceeded in  repulsing  nearly  all  our  attacks, 
until  nearly  9 o’clock  at  night,  when  by  a gen- 


412 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


eral  advance  along  my  line  lie  was  forced  from 
his  position  and  compelled  to  abandon  to  our 
hands  twenty-four  pieces  of  artillery,  all  his 
trains,  several  battle-flags,  and  a large  number 
of  prisoners.  Our  loss  was  slight.  Our  ad- 
vance reached  Appomattox  Court  House  that 
night  and  charged  into  the  camp  of  the  rebel 
army. 

The  following  morning  my  command  was 
moved  toward  Appomattox  Court  House, 
about  which  point  the  entire  rebel  army  was 
massed.  Moving  at  a rapid  gait  and  under 
a heavy  artillery  fire  I placed  my  command 
upon  the  extreme  right  of  our  army,  which 
was  then  moving  to  the  attack  of  the  enemy’s 
position.  Driving  back  his  skirmishers,  we 
had  almost  gained  possession  of  his  trains, 
when  a stall'  officer  of  General  Longstreet 
came  galloping  into  our  lines  under  a flag  of 
truce,  requesting  a suspension  of  hostilities. 
After  making  a proper  disposition  of  my 
forces  either  to  make  or  repel  an  attack  the 
truce  was  agreed  to  until  instructions  could 
be  received  from  the  proper  authority.  The 
result  is  already  known. 

The  rapidity  with  which  battle  followed 
battle  in  the  late  campaign,  each  time  result- 
ing in  the  glorious  victory  for  our  arms,  has 
prevented  me  from  going  into  detail,  A mere 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


413 


reference  to  each,  engagement  is  all  that  has 
been  attempted  in  this  report. 

During  the  brief  period  of  ten  days  my 
command  captured  in  open  battle  46  pieces 
of  artillery  and  37  battle  flags.  This  of  it- 
self is  the  best  evidence  I could  wish  to  offer 
of  the  gallantry  and  heroism  displayed  by 
this  division.  Respectfully  submitted, 

G.  A.  Custer,* 

Brevet  Major-General , Commanding  3d 
Cav.  Div. 

To  Brevet  Maj.-Genl.  Merritt, 

Acting  Chief  of  Cavalry.” 

The  report  of  Major-General  George 
Crook  dated  April  18th,  1865,  says: 

‘‘After  dark  (April  8)  I was  ordered  to 
send  a brigade  to  hold  the  road  leading  from 
Appomattox  Court  House  to  Lynchburg. 
Smith’s  Brigade  was  sent ; he  selected  a good 
position  near  the  Court  House.  The  enemy 
made  no  demonstrations  during  the  night,  but 
the  next  morning  at  a very  early  hour,  he 
moved  a very  heavy  line  against  him  which 
he  held  in  check  until  General  Mackenzie  got 
up  and  went  in  on  Smith’s  left.  Davies  was 
sent  on  a reconnaissance  to  the  left,  while 
Col.  (S.  B.  M.)  Young’s  Brigade  was  held 
in  reserve.  At  about  9 A.  M.  the  enemy 
* See  Page  438. 


414 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


made  a strong  attack  on  my  front  and  flanks 
with  a large  force  of  infantry,  while  their 
cavalry  attacked  my  rear.  Mackenzie  and 
Smith  were  forced  to  retire  by  overwhelming 
numbers  until  relieved  by  the  infantry.  When 
we  reorganized  and  were  getting  ready  to  go 
to  the  front  an  order  for  cessation  of  hostili- 
ties reached  me.” 

As  the  burden  of  the  cavalry  fight  on  the 
morning  of  the  ninth  was  borne  by  Crook’s 
Division,  which  had  not  been  engaged  the 
day  before,  this  narration  from  official  sour- 
ces would  be  incomplete  without  some  state- 
ments of  Crook’s  subordinate  generals. 

Crook’s  brigade  Commanders  at  Appomat- 
tox were  General  Henry  E.  Davies,  Jr.  (First 
Brigade)  ; Col.  Samuel  B.  M.  Young  (2d 
Brigade)  ; General  Charles  H.  Smith  (3d 
Brigade)  ; and  General  R.  S.  Mackenzie  lead- 
ing the  Cavalry  from  the  Army  of  the  James. 

An  extract  is  given  here  from  the  report 
of  each. 

General  Davies  under  date  of  April  14th, 
says : 

“ On  9th,  the  Brigade  moved  out  on  a re- 
connaissance around  the  enemy’s  right ; but 
while  on  the  road,  hearing  that  the  remainder 


SHERIDAN 'S  CA  VALR  Y. 


415 


of  the  division  had  been  attacked  in  heavy 
force,  I made  a demonstration  in  that  direc- 
tion and  repulsed  a cavalry  force  moving  to- 
ward the  left  and  rear  of  our  army.  After- 
ward having  been  joined  by  the  Second  Bri- 
gade I attacked  the  enemy’s  cavalry  in  my 
front  and  was  driving  them  rapidly  when 
orders  directing  a suspension  of  hostilities 
were  received.” 

Extract  from  the  report  of  Col.  Samuel  B. 
M.  Young  (4  Penna.  Cavalry)  Comdg.  2d 
Brigade,  2d  Cavalry  Division,  dated  April 
14,1865: 

“ On  the  9th  was  ordered  out  to  the  main 
Lynchburg  road  to  support  General  Smith 
and  General  Mackenzie,  who  were  being 
forced  back  by  the  enemy’s  infantry.  Smith 
was  retiring  by  the  right  and  Mackenzie  by 
the  left  oblique,  and  the  enemy  taking  ad- 
vantage charged  one  regiment  of  cavalry 
through  the  interval  and  came  up  on  my  rear, 
and  that  instant  the  4th  Pennsylvania  Cav- 
alry, who  had  been  ordered  to  a new  position, 
met  and  charged  them  in  column,  effectually 
routing  them,  killing  the  color-bearer  and 
capturing  the  colors  of  14th  Virginia 
Cavalry.  At  the  same  time  the  16th  Penn- 
sylvania Cavalry,  who  had  been  dismounted, 


416 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


were  double-quicked  around  by  the  rear  and 
drove  the  enemy  out  of  the  woods.  At  the 
same  time  the  enemy  attacked  my  left  flank, 
but  were  held  in  check  by  the  8th  Pennsyl- 
vania Cavalry,  until  the  infantry  who  were 
close  at  hand  relieved  my  command.  Not 
finding  the  division  commander,  I reported 
to  General  Davies,  who  was  engaging  the 
enemy  on  the  road  in  the  direction  of  Lynch- 
burg, and  was  ordered  to  join  him  with  my 
command.  The  brigade  was  massed  on  the 
left  of  the  road  and  pushed  forward  at  a trot 
when  orders  were  received  to  halt  and  cease 
firing.  General  Davies  sent  a flag  of  truce, 
and  a cessation  of  hostilities  was  agreed 
upon.” 

Extract  from  report  of  Brev.  Brig.-Gen’l 
Charles  H.  Smith  (1st  Maine  Cavalry  Col- 
onel), commanding  Third  Brigade,  2d  Cav- 
alry Division,  dated  April  15th,  1865  : 

“ At  9 P.  M.  (April  8th)  I received  orders 
from  Maj.  Gen’l  commanding  the  division 
to  move  with  my  brigade  on  to  the  main  road 
leading  from  Appomattox  Court  House  to 
Lynchburg  and  hold  it  against  the  approach 
of  the  enemy.  I reached  the  road  by  a march 
of  about  two  miles  and  at  a point  two  and  one- 
half  miles  from  the  Court  House.  Feeling 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY.  41? 

the  importance  of  gaining  as  much  ground  as 
possible  to  enable  me,  in  case  of  an  attack,  to 
make  a fight  till  notice  could  be  given  and  re- 
enforcements got  up,  I advanced  down  the 
road  cautiously,  feeling  my  way,  at  midnight, 
till  I encountered  and  drove  in  the  enemy’s 
pickets  within  half  a mile  of  the  Court  House. 
There  I ordered  a section  of  3-inch  guns — 
Lieut.  James  H.  Lord,  Battery  A.,  2d  U.  S. 
Artillery — into  position,  dismounted  three 
regiments — the  1st  Maine,  6th  Ohio  and  2d 
1ST.  T.  Mounted  Rifles — threw  up  breastworks 
of  rails,  and  waited  till  daylight  without 
blankets  or  fires. 

At  daylight  the  enemy  advanced  to  attach, 
and  then  the  advantage  of  the  position  I had 
obtained  by  pushing  forward  during  the  night 
became  apparent.  My  command  was  posted 
on  a ridge  or  kind  of  plateau  higher  than  any 
point  at  the  enemy’s  command.  Consequently 
when  his  first  attack  was  met  by  a rapid  and 
vigorous  firing  from  the  section  of  artillery 
and  a brisk  fire  from  the  skirmish  line,  being 
unable  to  ascertain  the  strength  of  our  posi- 
tion except  by  direct  assault,  he  desisted  at 
the  time  and  delayed  about  two  hours  in  man- 
oeuvering,  driving  in  my  mounted  men  from 
the  ranhs  and  before  he  attempted  to  advance 
in  force.  I am  of  the  opinion  that  had  the 
2 7 


418 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


position  I held  been  left  for  the  occupation  of 
the  enemy  he  would  have  discovered  my 
strength  and  continued  his  march  at  daylight, 
gained  full  possession  of  the  road  and  ex- 
tended his  left  beyond  our  right,  thus  perhaps 
producing  a material  difference  in  the  results 
of  the  day.  By  the  delay  of  these  two  hours 
our  forces  were  got  into  position,  so  that  when 
my  command  retired  before  the  enemy  ad- 
vancing in  force,  he  was  received  at  Ready 
Aim  fire ; and  the  career  of  the  Army  of 
Virginia  was  brought  to  an  end.” 

Extract  from  the  report  of  Brig. -Gen. 
Randold  S.  Mackenzie,  Commanding  Cavalry 
Brigade  of  Army  of  the  J ames,  dated  May  8, 
1865: 

“ On  the  morning  of  the  9th  the  command, 
now  consolidated  into  one  Brigade,  was  moved 
to  the  left  of  Gen.  Crook’s  Division  at  a point 
about  one  mile  and  a half  from  Appomattox 
Court  House  and  immediately  on  the  road  to 
Lynchburg.  * * * As  many  miles  inter- 
vened between  this  command  and  the  other 
troops  of  the  Army  of  the  James,  I acted 
generally  under  the  orders  of  Maj.-Genl. 
Sheridan;  and  on  this  occasion  by  his  direc- 
tion under  those  of  Maj.-Genl.  Crook.  By 
his  direction  I sent  the  11th  Pennsylvania 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


419 


Cavalry  some  distance  to  the  left  of  the  road 
to  guard  tie  left  flank.  Soon  afterward  the 
enemy  attacked.  I was  ordered  by  Gen’l 
Crook  through  one  of  his  staff  to  withdraw 
slowly  when  it  became  necessary,  as  it  -would 
be,  he  stated,  very  soon.  The  enemy  had  for 
some  time  been  moving  a column  of  cavalry 
to  our  left  and  rear , while  he  attacked  with  in- 
fantry in  front.  There  would  have  been  no 
trouble  in  repulsing'  the  enemy  from  our  im- 
mediate front,  but  the  attack  came  so  soon 
after  our  arrival  that  the  connection  which  I 
had  commenced  establishing  beween  my  right 
and  Gen’l  Crook’s  left  could  not  be  made. 
The  5th  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  and  1st  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia  Cavalry  and  the  1st  Mary- 
land Cavalry  were  dismounted  and  formed  in 
line  across  the  road,  and  after  some  sharp  fir- 
ing we  slowly  withdrew  down  the  road.  A sec- 
tion of  Battery  M.  1st  U.  S.  Artillery  which 
had  been  doing  excellent  service  was  sent  to 
the  rear.  Col.  Evans  was  directed  previous 
to  the  withdrawal  of  the  5th  Pennsylvania 
Cavalry  to  take  his  men  down  the  road,  mount 
them  as  soon  as  possible  and  return.  Some 
unauthorized  person,  however,  moved  the 
Colonel’s  horses  such  a long  distance  to  the 
rear  that  he  was  much  delayed  in  remount- 
ing his  men,  and  the  same  mentioned  indi- 


420 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


vidual  sent  Lieutenant  Olcott  with  one  piece 
of  his  section  down  a road  to  the  left  as  we 
fell  back,  where  this  piece  was  captured  by 
the  enemy,  who,  finding  a line  on  the  road 
which  they  could  not  readily  break,  pushed 
round  the  flanks  and  came  upon  this  gun  in 
a narrow  road  in  the  woods,  several  hundred 
yards  in  the  rear  of  the  line,  but  to  the  left, 
retiring.  The  other  piece  of  this  section 
was  never  captured.  About  this  time  the 
24th  Corps  arrived  and  the  command  was 
extricated  from  a very  dangerous  position. 
In  conclusion  with  reference  to  this  skirmish 
I will  state,  that  I withdrew  much  more 
slowly  before  a very  much  superior  force  of 
the  enemy  than  I otherwise  should  have  done, 
from  my  knowledge  that  it  was  very  impor- 
tant that  the  road  should  he  held  till  our  in- 
fantry arrived,  which  I knew  would  not  hap- 
pen early  in  the  day.  Immediately  after  the 
arrival  of  the  24th  Corps  I was  directed  to 
move  my  command  down  the  road  from  Ap- 
pomattox Court  House  to  Lynchburg,  in  the 
direction  of  Lynchburg  to  assist  Genl.  Davies, 
who  was  at  that  time  strongly  pressed  by  the 
cavalry  referred  to  as  having  passed  around 
my  left  flank.  After  some  skirmishing  and 
when  we  were  about  to  attack  the  enemy  news 
was  brought  of  the  suspension  of  hostilities,” 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


421 


The  Cavalry  of  the  Army  of  the  J ames  had 
started  on  this  Appomattox  campaign  with  a 
division  organization  composed  of  two  bri- 
gades; but  was  on  April  8th  consolidated 
into  one  brigade  for  greater  efficiency,  and 
thereafter  reported  to  General  Crook,  and 
moved  and  fought  under  his  direction  during 
the  Appomattox  engagements.  On  the  28th 
of  March  its  effective  strength  was  fifty-four 
officers  and  sixteen  hundred  and  twenty-nine 
men.  It  comprised  the  1st  Maryland,  5th 
and  14th  Pennsylvania  regiments,  District 
of  Columbia  battalion,  and  Company  G.  of 
20th  Mew  York  Cavalry. 

Colonel  Andrew  W.  Evans,  5th  Penn.  Cav- 
alry, in  his  report  says  that  his  whole  regi- 
ment was  dismounted  and  first  took  position 
“ directly  upon  the  south  side  of  the  high 
road  from  Appomattox  Court  House  to 
Lynchburg  about  one  mile  and  one  half  dis- 
tance from  the  former  place.” 

Col.  Stratton,  commanding  the  11th  Penn. 
Cavalry,  said : “ We  moved  out  of  the  main 

road  from  Appomattox  Court  House  to 
Lynchburg,  about  a mile  westerly  from  the 
Court  Llouse,  this  regiment  having  the  ad- 
vance ” (meaning  of  the  brigade). 

A Confederate  cavalry  regiment  charged 
between  Mackenzie’s  Brigade  and  Smith’s 


422 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


Brigade,  there  being  an  unavoidable  inter- 
val when  the  Fourth  Penn.  Cavalry  of  Col. 
Young’s  Brigade  came  to  the  rescue,  coun- 
tercharged, and  after  quite  a melee  captured 
the  colors  of  the  Confederate  regiment. 

To  the  foregoing  reports  of  Crook’s  Bri- 
gade Commanders  an  extract  is  made  from 
the  report  of  General  Gibbs,  commanding  a 
Brigade  in  General  Devin’s  (1st  Division). 
General  Gibbs,  referring  to  his  Sunday  morn- 
ing (April  9th)  fight,  says: 

“ The  Fifth  United  States  Cavalry  (Reg- 
ulars) were  sent  in  mounted  and  down  a 
road  on  the  left  (i.  e.  on  the  left  of  Devin’s 
Division)  in  their  front,  but  were  met  by  a 
brigade  of  the  enemy’s  infantry,  and  retired 
with  a loss  of  four  men.  The  Brigade  was 
then  mounted  and  ordered  to  charge  on  the 
right  of  Genl.  Custer’s  command,  which  was 
done  in  rapid  style;  but  on  arriving  at  the 
extreme  right  I was  informed  that  a flag  of 
truce  of  surrender  had  passed  between  our 
lines,  and  hostilities  were  ordered  to  be  sus- 
pended.” 

Here  is  the  brief  story  of  the  famous  First 
Vermont  Cavalry  for  that  morning,  as  told 
in  the  official  report  dated  16th  April,  1865, 
of  its  commander,  Lieut.-Colonel  J.  Hall: 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


423 


“ We  moved  out  early  toward  the  enemy ; 
charged  to  the  left  of  the  enemy’s  line  captur- 
ing several  prisoners  and  horses,  losing  two 
men  wounded  and  several  horses  killed ; were 
charging  the  enemy  when  the  order  came  to 
stop  firing.” 

Col.  John  J.  Coppinger,  commanding  15th 
ISlew  York  Cavalry,  a regiment  in  2d  (Bri- 
gade of)  Custer’s  Division  in  his  report  of 
same  date  says: 

“ April  9,  at  about  8 A.  M.  came  near 
railroad  and  moved  with  the  Third  Cavalry 
Division  upon  a line  almost  parallel  with 
the  enemy’s  line  for  a distance  of  about  one 
mile  and  a half,  part  of  this  time  under  fire 
of  the  enemy’s  artillery,  to  a point  opposite 
and  near  Appomattox  Court  House,  when  a 
flag  of  truce  of  the  enemy  made  its  appear- 
ance in  front  of  our  column,  which  soon  re- 
turned to  the  enemy’s  line  after  having  a con- 
ference with  Major-General  Custer.  A skir- 
mish with  Hampton’s  Cavalry  on  the  right 
now  took  place ; we  drove  the  enemy.  Our 
loss  on  the  morning  of  the  9th  was  one  killed 
and  three  wounded.” 

THE  FIRST  MAINE  CAVALRY. 

But  the  regiment  of  all  others  in  the  Cav- 
alry meriting  its  place  in  this  narrative  is  the 


424 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


famous  First  Maine  Cavalry.  It  was  a part 
of  Smith’s  (3d)  Brigade,  which,  as  is  clear 
from  the  foregoing  reports,  bore  the  brunt  in 
opening  the  battle  early  Sunday  morning. 
This  regiment  being  armed  with  repeating 
carbines  and  composed  of  most  reliable  men 
and  officers  was  frequently  selected,  as  on  this 
occasion,  for  exceptionally  important  duty. 
Its  operations  furnish  a key  to  the  Union  bat- 
tle up  to  the  arrival  of  the  infantry.  In 
place  of  reproducing  here  an  extract  from  the 
contemporaneous  official  report  of  its  com- 
mander, what  he  said  ten  years  later  before 
his  surviving  soldiers  is  sufficiently  contem- 
poraneous, and  reliable,  as  well  as  picturesque 
and  interesting,  to  be  quoted  among  the  regi- 
mental narratives  of  Sunday  morning’s  Ap- 
pomattox. 

General  Jonathan  P.  Cilley,  Lieut.-Colonel 
commanding  the  First  Maine  Cavalry,  at  Ap- 
pomattox, writing  an  article  under  date  of 
September  15th,  1875,  referring  to  participa- 
tion in  the  movement  in  the  darkness  towards 
Appomattox,  on  the  Lynchburg  and  Appomat- 
tox pike — the  operations  so  graphically  de- 
scribed from  the  Confederate  side  by  the  re- 
port of  General  Pendleton,  as  above  quoted — 
says: 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


425 


The  Brigade  (Smith’s  of  Crook’s  Division) 
moved  “ rapidly  at  first,  but  slowly  as  the 
hour  of  midnight  drew  near  and  the  rebel 
pickets  drew  bead  on  us.  Back  and  still  back 
we  pressed  them,  till  our  brigade,  far  from 
all  support  at  the  time,  lay  on  the  brow  of 
Clover  Hill,  before  Appomattox  Court  House, 
on  the  road  on  which,  if  he  advanced  at  all, 
Lee  must  come  out  in  the  morning.  The 
rebel  pickets  fired  briskly  at  this  point,  but 
stopped  as  our  advance  halted.  The  hour 
was  one  o’clock  in  the  morning,  April  ninth. 
We  came  dismounted,  front  into  line  with 
the  First  Maine  on  the  left  of  the  road  and 
the  rest  of  the  brigade  on  the  right,  and  one 
regiment  in  reserve.  Behind  a slight  barrier 
of  rails,  without  blankets,  in  the  cold  damp 
air  of  April,  we  waited  for  morning  and 
General  Lee’s  army.  A line  of  dismounted 
videttes  was  thrown  out  in  our  front  to  give 
warning  of  approaching  danger.  Knowing 
the  difficulty  of  placing  such  a line  in  the 
darkness,  I personally  attended  to  posting 
them,  and  when  done  a desire  pressed  me 
* * * to  learn  something  of  the  force  in 
front.  I advanced  in  front  of  the  line,  and 
stooping  to  prevent  my  body  being  seen 
against  the  line  of  the  horizon,  for  I knew 
not  how  near  the  rebel  videttes  might  be,  I 


426 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


crept  forward  well,  as  far  as  I dared.  I sat 
on  the  ground  and  listened  to  the  rebel  team- 
sters in  the  valley  below  parking  their  wagons, 
with  oaths  and  imprecations  savoring  of  tired 
horses  and  wearied,  angry  men.  I thought 
of  the  morning,  and  of  what  our  small  force 
could  do  to  keep  back  the  rebel  hosts  in  front, 
not  knowing  that  our  infantry  were  marching 
all  night  to  take  post  in  our  rear.  * * * * 
The  hour  before  daybreak  and  at  daylight 
is  always  the  hour  of  danger  and  sudden  at- 
tacks. But  Lee’s  forces,  tired  and  sleepy  that 
morning,  did  not  awake  early,  and  the  section 
of  artillery  accompanying  us  moved  to  the 
brow  of  the  hill  and  caused  them  to  open 
their  eyes  that  pleasant  Sunday  morning  by 
dropping  shot  and  shell  into  the  middle  of 
their  camp.  * * * As  far  as  we  were  con- 
cerned we  could  see  nothing  of  any  force  pre- 
pared or  placed  to  support  us.  It  seemed  as 
if  we  were  alone,  and  the  army  of  Lee  in  our 
front.  When  the  skirmishers  and  advance 
came  in  view,  never  did  the  enemy  more 
sluggishly  come  forward.  Their  line  ex- 
tended beyond  ours  by  twice  its  length,  but 
our  carbines  held  them  in  check  till  they  com- 
menced to  lapse  round  our  brigade  on  the 
right  and  left ; and  sharp  firing  in  front 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY.  427 

told  us  the  heavy  effort  made  to  clear  this 
road  of  its  cavalry  curtain. 

Slowly  they  rolled  us  back.  We  received 
and  we  inflicted  loss.  In  ten  short  days,  of 
which  this  was  the  end,  our  regiment  lost  in 
hilled  and  wounded  one-third  of  its  men  and 
one  half  of  its  officers.  W e were  too  sleepy  to 
move  rapidly.  We  were  too  cross  to  be  shoved 
by  bullets.  Back  from  the  wooded  crest  of 
Clover  Hill ; back  over  an  open  field  and  a 
little  rise ; back  down  a long  sloping  incline 
straightening  our  line  at  its  foot  by  the  aid  of 
a rail  fence,  and  with  our  men  in  hand  we 
charged  up  the  incline  or  hill,  to  be  driven 
again  back,  and  losing  one  of  our  battery  guns 
at  its  foot.  Back  up  a long  rise  of  ground, 
covered  with  woods  at  the  top — and  the  cur- 
tain of  cavalry  covering  the  last  scene  of  the 
rebellion  was  rolled  fully  up  and  hack,  and 
before  the  astonished  vision  of  the  rebel  force 
stood  Griffin  with  the  Fifth,  and  Ord  with 
the  Twenty-fourth  Corps.  A colored  division 
of  the  latter  stepped  into  the  place  of  our  regi- 
ment. All  night  long  had  they  marched,  but 
how  refreshing  the  sight  of  their  black  coun- 
tenances at  this  time.  At  the  spectacle  the 
rebel  host  staggered  hack  and  their  whole  line 
wavered,  as  if  each  particular  man  was  terror- 
struck.  The  curtain  fell  on  four  years  fight- 


428 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


ing.”  (Tobie’s  First  Maine  Cavalry  His- 
tory, p.  437.) 

ARMY  OF  THE  JAMES. 

Turning  noAV  from  the  Cavalry  to  the 
Twenty-fourth  Corps  of  Orel’s  Army  of  the 
James,  here  is  the  official  narrative  of  its 
commander  at  Appomattox,  Major-General 
Gibbon,  followed  by  the  narrative  of  Genl. 
R.  S.  Foster,  who  commanded  its  leading  divi- 
sion that  so  opportunely  arrived  for  the  sup- 
port of  Crook’s  scattered  regiments,  which 
had  been  slowly  and  necessarily  withdrawing 
before  the  infantry  attacks  of  Gordon;  and 
vainly  seeking  at  the  same  time  to  thwart  the 
escape  of  Lee’s  cavalry  columns  that  would 
not  stop  to  engage  in  the  battle. 

General  Gibbon  says,  under  date  of  April 
24th,  1865 : 

“ At  5 A.  M.  on  the  8th,  the  corps  started 
up  the  Lynchburg  road  after  Sheridan’s  cav- 
alry and  followed  by  the  Fifth  Corps.  The 
troops,  learning  of  the  presence  of  the  enemy 
before  them,  and  that  the  cavalry  needed  as- 
sistance, pushed  forward  with  a will,  marched 
until  nearly  12  o’clock,  dropped  down  along- 
side the  road  for  a three  hours’  sleep,  and 
were  again  under  way  at  3,  cheering  at  the 
sound  of  the  locomotive  captured  by  Sheridan. 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


429 


By  General  Ord’s  direction  I was  to  throw 
my  forces  across  the  road  leading  from  Ap- 
pomattox Court  House  to  Lynchburg.  As  we 
approached  the  designated  point  the  firing, 
which  at  first  appeared  to  be  merely  that  of 
a skirmish  line,  rapidly  increased  and  neared 
the  road  upon  which  my  troops  were  moving. 
Foster  was  moved  up  at  a double  quick, 
formed  across  the  road,  and  his  line  pushed 
forward  at  once  with  as  much  rapidity  as  was 
permissible  by  the  retreating  bodies  of  cav- 
alry. In  the  meantime  the  firing  seemed  to 
gain  so  rapidly  toward  our  right  that  I 
deemed  it  best  to  face  Turner  to  the  right  and 
push  him  forward  on  Foster’s  right,  instead 
of  throwing  him  on  his  left,  as  originally  in- 
tended, to  check  the  advance  of  the  enemy. 
These  maneuvers  were  rapidly  performed, 
and  as  soon  as  our  infantry  opened  fire  the 
enemy  fell  back,  and  on  our  reaching  the 
cleared  ground  in  sight  of  the  Court  House 
information  was  received  that  negotiations 
were  going  on  for  the  surrender  of  Lee’s  army 
and  that  hostilities  had  ceased.” 

General  E.  S.  Foster,  commanding  the 
First  Division  of  the  24th  Corps,  and  which 
had  marched  thirty-two  miles  on  April  eighth, 
says: 


430 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


“ At  3 A.  M.  on  the  9th  the  division  moved 
forward  in  the  advance;  at  daylight  a short 
halt  was  made  for  coffee,  when,  the  cavalry 
becoming  engaged,  we  moved  forward  rapidly 
to  their  support,  the  last  half  mile  being  made 
at  double-quick,  tve  arriving  at  the  Lynch- 
burg road  just  as  the  cavalry  were  retreating 
in  conf  usion.  By  my  directions  Colonel  Os- 
born, First  Brigade,  formed  this  command  in 
line  of  battle  on  the  right  of  the  Lynchburg 
road  with  the  greatest  promptness,  although 
broken  up  three  times  by  the  led  horses  of  the 
cavalry,  and,  in  pursuance  of  orders  from  the 
major-general  commanding,  advanced  his  line 
Avithout  support  and  with  both  flanks  ex- 
posed; his  men  went  forward  with  the 
greatest  enthusiasm,  checking  the  enemy  and 
forcing  them  back.  In  the  meantime  Colonel 
Dainty’s  (Third)  Brigade  and  Colonel  Fair- 
child’s  (Fourth)  Brigade  were  hurried  for- 
Avard  and  formed — the  Third  Brigade  on  the 
left  of  the  First,  and  the  Fourth  in  echelon 
in  support  of  the  First  Brigade.  The  Eighth 
Maine,  of  the  Fourth  Brigade,  was  pushed 
forAvard  on  the  right  of  the  First  Brigade, 
capturing  one  gun.  At  this  time  I exper- 
ienced considerable  inconvenience  in  conse- 
quence of  the  conflicting  orders  given  to  my 
artillery  by  the  chief  of  artillery  of  the  corps, 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


431 


lie  detaining  Elder’s  battery,  which  I had 
ordered  into  a position,  when  it  would  have 
been  of  service  to  me  had  it  gone  up  in  time. 
.4s  my  line  advanced  the  enemy  continued  re- 
tiring. Receiving  constant  information  that 
the  enemy  were  moving  to  my  left , I took  the 
Fourth  Brigade  from  the  support  of  the  First 
and  put  it  on  the  left  and  gradually  shoved 
with  my  whole  line  in  that  direction  until, 
just  as  I reached  the  Bent  Creek  road,  I re- 
ceived information  of  a cessation  of  hostili- 
ties, which  resulted  in  the  surrender  of  the 
Army  of  Northern  Virginia.  Doubleday’s 
brigade  while  moving  in  the  rear  of  the 
column  was  attached  in  flank  and  obliged  to 
form  a line  of  battle  parallel  with  the  road 
and  drive  the  enemy  back , which  they  did  and 
joined  the  command  near  the  Bent  Creek 
road.  Elder’s  battery  was  placed  in  position 
about  half  a mile  from  the  Bent  Creek  road 
and  fired  a few  shots  at  the  retreating 
enemy. 

I do  not  consider  it  egotistical  to  say,  to  this 
division  is  due  the  credit  of  preventing  the 
enemy  from  gaining  possession  of  the  Lynch- 
burg road  ( their  only  line  of  retreat ),  and  of 
being  among  those  who  struck  the  last  blow 
against  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia.” 


432 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


THE  FIGHTING. 

It  emphasizes  the  character  of  the  Appo- 
mattox Battle  to  recur  to  the  foregoing  reports 
of  some  of  the  commands  actually  engaged. 

A further  illustration  is  afforded  by  the 
reports  of  losses  where  they  are  capable  of 
being  specially  laid  to  the  Sunday  morning 
battle,  which  is  rarely  possible.  Thus  in  the 
brigade  commanded  by  Col.  Thomas  O.  Os- 
borne, 1st  Brigade,  1st  Division,  24th  Corps, 
the  19th  Pennsylvania  lost  5 killed  and  20 
wounded;  the  39th  Illinois  1 officer  and  6 
men  wounded;  the  67th  Ohio  1 killed  and 
6 wounded ; the  62d  Ohio  18  men  wounded 
and  2 officers  and  38  men  captured.  Lieut. 
Fred  T.  Mason,  an  aide  of  Col.  Dandy  com- 
manding the  3d  Brigade  in  same  Division, 
was  wounded  and  Lieut.-Col.  Hill  of  the  11th 
Maine  being  wounded  and  at  the  rear  was 
nevertheless  there  captured ; but  after  rifling 
him  of  his  personal  effects  he  was  allowed  to 
return  to  his  own  lines. 

The  battlefield  was  extensive ; and,  as  the 
reports  show,  numerous  small  combats  oc- 
curred upon  it  in  different  places  and  at  about 
the  same  hour.  A gun  of  one  of  Sheridan’s 
regular  batteries  was  stalled  and  lost  in  a 
temporary  disaster.  At  another  spot  by  some 


SHERIDAN’S  CAVALRY. 


433 


mistakes  of  directions  a detached  gun  got  on 
a wrong  road,  and  was  overrun  by  escaping 
Confederate  cavalry. 

There  were  many  accidents  of  battle;  but 
in  all  places  and  everywhere  the  superb  con- 
duct of  the  Union  officers  of  every  grade  stood 
out  in  grand  leadership ; and  no  soldiers  ever 
responded  more  zealously  than  the  Union 
rank  and  file. 

Gordon’s  assaults  did  temporarily  break  the 
Union  left  center;  but  the  final  halting  of 
this  column  as  it  sought  triumphant  exit  from 
the  field  of  battle  out  to  Lynchburg,  on  the 
famous  Lynchburg  Pike,  was  one  of  the  most 
unexpected  and  picturesque  incidents  of  the 
whole  war. 

It  was  a silent  moment  in  the  battle  that 
until  then  had  raged  back  and  forth,  trending 
steadily  in  favor  of  the  Confederate  purpose. 
The  silence  was  followed  by  the  “ short,  sharp 
and  decisive  ” collisions  with  the  newly  ar- 
rived Union  forces ; by  a panorama  fore- 
boding the  greatest  cavalry  charge  in  modern 
war ; and  by  the  flags  of  truce  that  averted  it. 
The  tide  of  battle  turned  when  the  troops  of 
the  24tli  Corps  and  of  the  Fifth  Corps  began 
firing. 

It  is  impossible  to  conceive  that  Lee,  await- 
ing Grant  at  a selected  spot  quite  distant  from 
28 


434 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


the  place  where  his  morning  attack  was  to  he 
made  in  accordance  with  his  own  orders,  was 
ignorant  of  these  doings,  and  of  their  inevi- 
table significance.  It  is  impossible  to  imagine 
that  General  Lee  did  not  design  and  order 
the  methodical  and  concerted  performances 
of  his  own  troops.  See  pp.  327,  381,  382. 

If  he  ever  ordered  the  first  flag  of  truce  of 
that  morning  there  is  no  evidence  of  such  an 
order.  There  is  no  evidence  that  he  at- 
tempted to  recall  his  escaping  cavalry. 

The  truce  was  itself  the  last  resorf,  and 
only  resort  except  death  or  capture  of  his 
able  and  gallant  subordinates ; it  was  the  out- 
come of  the  morning’s  battle.  The  truce  was 
finally  in  due  form  asked  for  by  General  Lee 
himself. 

The  marches  and  fight  on  that  day  and  on 
the  night  of  the  eighth,  made  the  battle  and 
the  victory  possible  on  the  ninth. 

Of  Lee’s  cavalry  generals,  as  we  have  seen, 
Rosser  and  Munford  were  not  to  be  found  at 
Appomattox  on  the  afternoon  of  the  ninth. 

Among  the  Lees,  General  Custis  Lee  had 
been  captured  April  6th  at  the  battle  of  Sail- 
or’s Creek ; W.  H.  F.  Lee  surrendered  at  Ap- 
pomattox ; and  Fitzlmgh  Lee,  commanding  all 
the  Confederate  Cavalry  at  Appomattox,  es- 
caped thence  with  a good  part  of  his  command 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


435 


on  the  surrender  morning.  Three  days  after- 
ward, with  five  of  his  staff,  he  surrendered 
to  General  Meade,  as  the  latter  writes  in  re- 
porting movements  of  the  Sixth  and  Second 
Corps  after  the  surrender.  This  is  General 
Meade’s  letter : 

“Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac,  Burke- 
VILL.E,  April  12,  1S65,  4.15  P.  M. 

Lieut. -Gen.  U.  S.  Grant:  In  accordance 
with  your  instructions,  the  Sixth  and  Second 
Corps  were  yesterday  put  en  route  for  this 
place.  The  Sixth  will  reach  here  to-day  and 
the  Second  to-morrow.  Last  evening  at 
Farmville  Maj.-Gen.  Fitzhugh  Lee,  of  the 
Confederate  Army,  with  five  officers  of  his 
staff,  surrendered  themselves  to  me,  and  were 
by  my  directions  sent  to  report  to  Major-Gen- 
eral Gibbon  at  Appomattox  Court  House. 
Major-General  Lee  stated  that  on  hearing  of 
the  surrender  of  the  Confederate  Army  he 
ordered  his  command  to  disperse  and  return 
to  their  homes,  and  came  in  himself. 

Geo.  G.  Meade, 
Major-General.” 

The  day  after  the  surrender  General  Grant 
telegraphed  to  Secretary  Stanton  the  follow- 
ing reply  message : 


436 


THE  LAST  HOURS  OF 


“ Prospect  Station, 
April  10,  1865,  9.05  P.  M. 

Hon.  E.  M.  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War, 
Washington,  D.  C.:  The  surrender  was  only 
of  the  men  left  with  the  pursued  army  at  the 
time  of  surrender.  All  prisoners  captured  in 
battle  previous  to  the  surrender  stand  same 
as  other  prisoners  of  war,  and  those  who  had 
escaped  and  were  detached  at  the  time  are  not 
included.  I think,  however,  there  will  be 
no  difficulty  now  in  bringing  in  on  the  terms 
voluntarily  given  to  General  Lee  all  the  frag- 
ments of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  and 
it  may  be  the  army  under  Johnston  also.  I 
wish  Hancock  would  try  it  with  Mosby. 

TT.  S.  Grant, 
Lieutenant-General .” 

Here  is  the  surrender  agreement  as  signed 
by  the  commissioners  designated  respectively 
by  Grant  and  Lee: 

“ Appomattox  Court  House,  Va., 
April  10,  1865. 

Agreement  entered  this  day  in  regard  to 
the  surrender  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Vir- 
ginia to  the  United  States  authorities. 

1st.  The  troops  shall  march  by  brigades 
and  detachments  to  a designated  point,  stack 
their  arms,  deposit  their  flags,  sabers,  pistols, 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


437 


etc.,  and  from  thence  march  to  their  homes 
under  charge  of  their  officers,  superintended 
by  their  respective  division  and  corps  com- 
manders, officers  retaining  their  side  arms, 
and  the  authorized  number  of  private  horses. 

2d.  All  public  horses  and  public  property 
of  all  kinds  to  be  turned  over  to  staff  officers 
designated  by  the  United  States  authorities. 

3d.  Such  transportation  as  may  be  agreed 
upon  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  transporta- 
tion of  the  private  baggage  of  officers  will  be 
allowed  to  accompany  the  officers,  to  be  turned 
over  at  the  end  of  the  trip  to  the  nearest 
U.  S.  quartermasters,  receipts  being  taken  for 
same. 

4th.  Couriers  and  mounted  men  of  the  ar- 
tillery and  cavalry,  whose  horses  are  their  own 
private  property,  will  be  allowed  to  retain 
them. 

5th.  The  surrender  of  the  Army  of  North- 
ern Virginia  shall  be  construed  to  include  all 
the  forces  operating  with  that  army  on  the 
8th  instant,  the  date  of  commencement  of 
negotiation  for  surrender,  except  such  bodies 
of  cavalry  as  actually  made  their  escape  pre- 
vious to  the  surrender,  and  except  also  such 
pieces  of  artillery  as  were  more  than  twenty 
miles  from  Appomattox  Court  House  at  the 
time  of  surrender  on  the  9th  instant.  John, 


438 


SHERIDAN'S  CAVALRY. 


Gibbon,  Major-General  of  Volunteers ; Chas. 
Griffin,  Brev.  Maj.-Genl.  U.  S.  Vols. ; W. 
Merritt,  Brevet  Major-General ; J.  Long- 
street,  Lieutenant-General;  J.  B.  Gordon, 
Major-General;  W.  1ST.  Pendleton,  Brig.- 
General  and  Chief  of  Artillery.  ’ ’ 

Finally  here  is  a copy  of  the  ‘ ‘ Pass  ’ ’ given 
by  General  Grant  to  General  Lee : 

“Appomattox  Court  House, Va.,  April  10,  1865. 
All  officers  commanding  posts,  pickets,  or 
detachments  Avill  pass  General  B,.  E.  Lee 
through  their  lines  north  or  south  on  presen- 
tation of  this  pass.  General  Lee  will  be  per- 
mitted to  visit  Kichmond  at  any  time  unless 
otherwise  ordered  by  competent  authority, 
and  every  facility  for  his  doing  so  will  be 
given  by  officers  of  the  U.  S.  Army  to  whom 
this  may  be  presented. 

U.  S.  Grant, 
Lieutenant-  General. 


* Note  from  page  413  : 

General  Custer,  on  April  9th,  1865,  issued  a congratulatory 
order  to  his  troops  in  which  he  used  the  following  language. 
“ The  record  established  by  your  indomitable  courage  is  unpar- 
alleled in  the  annals  of  war.  Your  prowess  has  won  for  you  even 
the  respect  and  admiration  of  your  enemies.  During  the  past 
six  months,  although  in  most  instances  confronted  by  superior 
numbers,  you  have  captured  from  the  enemy  in  open  battle, 
one  hundred  and  eleven  pieces  of  artillery,  sixty-five  battle 
flags,  and  upwards  of  ten  thousand  prisoners  of  war,  including 
seven  general  officers,  within  the  past  ten  days;  included  in  the 
above,  you  captured  forty-six  pieces  artillery,  and  thirty-seven 
battle  flags.  You  have  never  lost  a gun,  never  lost  a color,  and 
have  never  been  defeated,  and,  notwithstanding  the  numerous 
engagements  in  which  you  have  borne  a prominent  part,  in- 
cluding those  memorable  battles  in  the  Shenandoah,  you  have 
captured  every  piece  of  artillery  the  enemy  has  dared  to  open 
on  you.” 


APPENDIX  I. 


In  the  pamphlet  hereinbefore  mentioned  by 
“Anchor,”  (General  John  Watts  de  Peyster)  en- 
titled “La  Royale,  (Part  VIII,  amended  Edition) 
The  Last  Twenty-four  Hours  of  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia ,”  etc.,  etc.,  etc.,  published  1885,  is  found  an 
interesting  discussion  relating  to  events  narrated  in 
some  of  the  foregoing  chapters.  Its  author’s  intro- 
duction and  explanatory  remarks  are  quoted  in  part 
in  the  foot-note  to  Chapter  VIII,  page  166,  of  this 
volume. 

Respecting  The  Last  Twenty  four  Hours  of  the 
Army  of  Northern  Virginia  its  author  says : 

LA  ROYALE! 

[Fanfare,  or  Call  on  the  Hunting  Horn,  sounded  when  the 
Hounds  arouse  and  attack  a “Stag  of  Ten  ” Antlers.]  Part 
VIII.  “ The  1 toils  were  set,'  and  the  ‘ Stag  of  Ten  ' vjas  to  die 
at  bay."  ("Pickett's  Men."  156.)  [Entered  according  to  Act 
of  Congress,  in  the  year  1872,  by  J.  Watts  de  Peyster,  in  the 
Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  Washington,  D.  C.] 

REMARKS,  INTRODUCTORY  AND  EXPLANATORY. 

As  soon  as  the  “ Great  American  Conflict”  had 
terminated  and  our  “ Boys  in  Blue  ” commenced  re- 
turning home,  the  writer  lost  no  time  in  beginning 

439 


4:4:0 


APPENDIX  I. 


to  collect  and  jot  down  information  in  regard  to  the 
terrible  struggle  of  four  years.  In  the  seven  years 
ensuing,  the  mass  of  memoranda,  manuscripts,  etc. 
— such  as  letters,  statements  and  reports — gradually 
accumulated,  until  they  constituted  a huge  mass  of 
crude  facts  for  historical  mastication  and  digestion. 
In  addition  to  this,  shelf  after  shelf  became  loaded 
with  valuable  publications,  such  as  the  “ Rebellion 
Record  ; ” likewise  with  so-called  Histories,  Regi- 
mental Biographies,  Biographies  proper,  etc.,  some 
of  which,  in  their  hundreds  of  pages,  have  no  other 
value  than  to  establish  or  corroborate  a single  fact. 

All  these,  all  this  had  to  be  melted  in  the  crucible 
of  critical  examination  by  the  fire  of  patient  labor, 
to  draw  off  from  the  black  fusion  and  repulsive 
scoriae  the  bright  and  precious  metal  of  truth  : — 
Truth  which  is  intended  to  constitute  the  biography 
of  the  “ Glorious  Old  Fighting  Third  Corps,”  which 
is,  in  fact,  the  history  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
since  some  of  the  constituents  of  the  Third  Corps 
participated  in  the  first  battle  of  Bull  Run  and  wit- 
nessed the  surrender  at  Appomattox  Court  House — 
four  years  of  war  such  as  the  world  had  never  yet 
witnessed  ; crowned  with  a triumph  such  as  no  such 
a period  of  conflict  had  ever  yet  achieved  ; rewarded 
with  a victory  greater  and  more  decisive  than  had 
ever  yet  been  won  by  force  of  arms. 

As  one  of  the  noblest  of  living  historians,  Scherr, 
remarks:  “ The  youthful  might  of  Trans- Atlantic 
Democracy  had  fought  out,  in  four  years,  a gigantic 
conflict  for  human  development,  which  servile  Eu- 
rope could  not  have  accomplished  in  an  hundred 
years”  by  all  the  internal  and  external  arguments  of 
its  states-craftmen  and  standing  armies,  written 


APPENDIX  I.  441 

with  steel,  in  blood,  upon  the  ashes  and  ruins  of 
civilization. 

In  order  to  reduce  the  accretion  of  manuscript  and 
print  into  manageable  shape,  the  writer  published  a 
series  of  works  aud  pamphlets  which  enabled  him  to 
survey  his  route,  construct  his  road-bed  and  gather 
together  materials  for  the  superstructure. 

His  “ Personal  and  Military  History  of  Major- 
General  Philip  Kearney  ; ” his  “ Decisive  Conflicts  ; ” 
his  “ Third  Corps  at  Gettysburg  ; ” his  “ Fredericks- 
burg,” “ Chancelloi’sville,”  and  “Gettysburg,”  in 
Captain  Mayne  Reid's  magazine  Omuard,  serve  as 
bridges  across  deep  gulfs.  Other  minor  articles  in 
Onward,  in  other  magazines,  in  weeklies  such  as  the 
Ledger,  Volunteer,  Era,  and  in  daily  papers  such  as 
the  Daily  Times,  the  Evening  Mail,  etc.,  were  tram- 
ways for  the  transport  of  filling. 

His  uninterrupted  series  of  articles — besides  pre- 
vious sporadic  biographical  sketches,  etc.,  in  the 
New  York  Citizen,  commencing  20th  August,  1870, 
and  running  on  continually  for  a period  of  nineteen 
months,  to  the  23d  March,  1872, — constitute  a tem- 
porary roadway,  whose  sharp  curves,  in  any  event, 
must  be  shortened,  even  if  the  majority  is  not 
wholly  rebuilt. 

The  pamphlet,  “ La  Royale,  Part  VIII.,”  is  the 
station  house  and  structure  at  the  terminus,  which 
will  serve  every  purpose  until  the  permanent  track 
is  relaid.  It  may  take  years  to  finish  up  this  work, 
but  the  passengers  or  readers  can  now  make  their 
four  years’  journey,  rough  or  smooth  as  it  may  prove, 
with  a complete  understanding  what  the  ultimate 
result  will  be. 

The  publications  which  have  already  appeared 


442 


APPENDIX  I. 


have  met  with  the  highest  approbation  of  experts 
and  competent  judges.  They  will  carry  all  the 
weight  that  can  be  imposed  upon  them,  for  they  are 
laid  on  the  rock  of  conscientious  investigation,  and 
have  been  set  up  with  painstaking  labor,  without  a 
single  bolt  headed  with  prejudice  or  nutted  with 
personal  bias.  Where  the  timbers  are  only  scored  or 
rough  hewn,  it  is  because  the  architect  did  not  deem 
it  worth  while  to  waste  time  in  trimming  them  ; 
where  they  are  planed  and  ornamented,  it  was  be- 
cause it  was  due  to  the  beauty  of  their  surroundings, 
their  utility  and  the  situation.  ( 

No  traveller  across  the  continent  ever  heard  the 
whistle  announcing  the  end  of  the  journey  attained 
with  greater  gladness  than  the  author,  in  penning 
the  closing  tribute  to  Major-General  A.  A.  Hum- 
phreys, last  commander  of  the  glorious  old  Fighting 
Third  Corps,  which  never  lost  nor  permitted  any 
man  or  men  to  deprive  it  of  its  identity  when  com- 
bined with  the  Second  Corps. 

To  this  great  soldier,  eminent  engineer,  admirable 
chief  of  staff  and  unsurpassed  general,  in  every  com- 
mand intrusted  to  him,  he  was  indebted  for  invalua- 
ble assistance,  and  who  actually  corrected  and  an- 
notated the  original  edition  from  which  this  was 
printed  ; likewise,  for  many  courtesies,  to  Major- 
General  E.  D.  Townsend,  Adj.-Gen.  U.  S.  A.  ; like- 
wise to  Major-Generals  Mott  and  McAllister,  U.  S.  V. ; 
and  likewise  to  Brevet  Colonel  W.  II.  Paine,  “ the 
Pathfinder  ” of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

But  to  cite  by  name  all  who  have  lent  him  their 
aid  would  require  too  much  space. 

********* 


APPENDIX  I. 


443 


The  pamphlet  following  this  introductory  is  as 
follows  : 

LA  ROYALE ! 

The  Last  Twenty-Four  Hours  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia. 

BAYING  THE  STAG  OF  TEN. 

In  my  history  of  the  Last  Campaign,  or  Hunt  of 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  the  narrative  of  the  events 
and  details  was  brought  down  ( in  “ La  Royale,” 
Part  VII.  ) to  the  afternoon  of  the  8th  of  April.  The 
last  article  was  set  up  for  the  Citizen  of  30th  March, 
1873,  but  that  weekly  had  already  ceased  to  exist  with 
its  last  issue  of  March  16th. 

Under  these  circumstances,  a paragraph  is  neces- 
sary to  demonstrate  the  relative  positions  of  the  Union 
and  Rebel  forces  on  the  afternoon  of  that  day.  The 
Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  in  round  numbers — in- 
cluding infantry,  artillery  and  cavalry,  also  the 
special  services — about  30,000  strong,  was  falling 
back,  retreating,  or  flying,  as  the  phrase  pleases  best 
or  is  most  suitable,  on  the  Richmond  and  Lynchburg 
Plank  Road  and  Turnpike  towards  Appomattox 
Court  House.  It  reached  this  point  between  after 
sundown  of  the  8th  and  some  time  before  daybreak 
of  the  9th,  Gordon  leading  with  the  Rebel  Second 
Corps;  Longstreet  with  the  main  body  and  the  rear, 
comprising  his  own,  the  First  and  the  Third  (A.  P. 
Hill’s)  Corps.  The  latter  after  Hill's  death  before 
Petersburg,  had  no  corps-commander,  but  was  com- 
bined ( ? ) with  Longstreet’s. 

Immediately  on  the  heels  of  Field’s  Rebel  Division, 
constituting  the  rearguard,  followed  Humphreys 
with  the  combined  Second-Third  Corps  of  the  Army 


444 


APPENDIX  I. 


of  the  Potomac,  clinging  to  it,  harassing  it,  skirmish- 
ing with  it,  deaf  to  all  Lee’s  cajoleries  to  let  up  the 
pressure . 

A few  miles  behind,  closing  up  to  the  preceding, 
came  the  Sixth  (Wright’s)  Corps. 

Away  to  the  southward,  from  ten  or  twelve  or 
even  more  miles  distant,  the  Fifth  (formerly  War- 
ren’s) Corps,  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  the  Twenty- 
fourth  Corps,  two  divisions,  and  one  division  of  the 
Twenty-fifth  Corps — these  last  two  belonging  to  the 
Army  of  the  James — were  marching  westward  in 
support  of  Sheridan,  who,  with  the  cavalry  cut  loose, 
was  spurring  towards  the  setting-sun — at  once  the 
sinking  orb  of  day,  of  the  tempest-period  of  inter- 
necine war  and  of  the“  Slaveholders’  Rebellion” — 
to  head  off  Lee  at  Appomattox  Court  House. 
Between  the  Fifth,  the  Twenty-fourth  and  Twenty- 
fifth  Corps,  and  the  Cavalry  and  the  combined 
Second-Third  and  the  Sixth  Corps,  flowed  the  Appo- 
mattox and  its  numerous  affluents,  destitute  of 
bridges. 

Thus  Humphreys,  with  the  combined  Second-Third 
Corps,  at  this  time  about  12,000  effectives,  was  the 
Union  general  and  troops  pegging  at  Lee  and  “ slam- 
banging ” into  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  pro- 
per, as  they  alone  had  been — since  Humphreys  dis- 
covered the  actual  route  of  the  Rebel  retreat — on  the 
6th,  7th  and  8th  April. 

Thus  ( 8th  April ) the  pursuit  was  kept  up  by  the 
indefatigable  Humphreys.  At  5 P.  M.,  8th  April, 
according  to  his  dispatch  to  Webb,  Chief  of  Staff, 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  he  had  learned  from  the 
country  people,  and  from  prisoners  picked  up,  that 
the  rear  of  the  enemy’s  infantry  was  about  four 


APPENDIX  I. 


445 


miles  ahead  of  him  ; then-  cavalry  less.  At  this 
hour — 5 P.  H. — Wright  informs  Webb,  that  the 
head  of  his  column — Sixth  Corps — has  reached 
Curdsville,  about  eight  miles  N.  N.  W.  of  Farmville, 
on  the  Plank  Road.  He  was  still  seven  miles  from  New 
Store  where  he  encamped  that  night,  which  point 
(New  Store)  Humphreys  had  attained — still  pushing 
on,  however — in  the  course  of  the  afternoon.  At 
New  Store  the  Rebel  cavalry  were  again  in  sight  of 
the  combined  Second-Third  Corps,  which  was,  indeed, 
“ close  upon  them.”  As  6.30  P.  M.  Humphreys’  First 
and  Second  Divisions  ( old  Second  ) were  two  miles 
beyond  the  hamlet  styled  “ New  Store,”  which  is 
twelve  (fifteen  ?)  miles,  if  not  more,  from  Cumber- 
land Church— the  scene  of  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia’s  last  stricken  field — by  the  route  they  had 
followed.  Humphreys’  Third  Division  (old  Third 
Corps  ) was  about  one-third  of  a mile  in  rear  of  his 
other  two.  His  men  had  marched  seventeen  miles 
this  day,  but  his  advance  had  been  retarded  by  the 
failure  of  his  trains  to  keep  up  with  his  troops. 

Humphreys  was  ordered  to  “ push  on  to-night  ( 8th, 
5h.  45m.  P.  M.)  so  as  to  be  in  the  presence  of  the 
enemy,”  and  be  “ up  to  him.”  At  6.  55  P.  M.  he  was 
still  “ pushing  on.”  Although  the  men  were  some- 
what exhausted  by  the  want  of  their  rations,  Hum- 
phreys “ moved  forward  with  the  First  and  Second 
Divisions  (old  Second)  on  the  night  of  the  8th  before 
their  trains  of  rations  got  up.  The  Third  Division’s 
(old  Third)  train  got  up  on  the  evening  of  the  8th, 
and  Humphreys  left  it  at  the  ground  where  over- 
taken, to  get  its  rations  and  follow  on  afterwards.” 

Humphreys’  leading  (First)  division  commander, 
Miles,  had,  at  this  hour,  just  reported  that  the  enemy 


APPENDIX  I. 


ue> 

were  encamped  on  the  first  high  ground  in  front 
of  him,  and  Humphreys,  as  usual,  on  fire  at  the 
announcement,  had  ordered  Miles  to  push  forward 
his  skirmishers  and  feel  them,  to  try  and  find  out 
from  prisoners  what  force  he  actually  had  opposed 
to  him.  (Rossel,  Renseignments,  112, 119.) 

At  this  point  it  is  necessary  to  correct  an  erroneous 
statement  in  a previous  portion  of  Part  VII.  of  this 
work,  “ La  Royale.”  The  second  communication 
from  Lee  to  Grant  (fourth  sent  and  received  ) was 
not  received  through  Humphreys  until  he  had  halted 
at  dusk  two  miles  west  of  (beyond)  New  Store. 

At  8.35  P.  M.  General  Meade,  through  Webb, 
ordered  Humphreys  to  encamp.  He  “ did  not  intend 
to  require  a night  march.”  Meade  then  adds  the 
highest  commendation  from  a superior  to  an  in- 
ferior: “ You  have  done  all,  in  getting  up  to  the 
enemy.” 

At  9 p.  M.  Meade  follows  up  the  foregoing  with 
the  order  : 

“ The  Second  [combined  Second-Third]  and  Sixth 
Corps  will  move  at  5 A.  M.  to-morrow  and  the  Second 
[combined  Second-Third]  Corps  will  attack  the 
enemy  [now  in  its  front]  at  once,  the  Sixth  Corps 
supporting.” 

The  relative  positions  of  the  headquarters  on  the 
night  of  the  8tli-9th  were  as  follows  : 

Lieutenant-General  Grant  and  Meade  on  the 
Lynchburg  Stage  Road  near  Curdsville,  about  seven 
miles  W.  N.  W.  of  Cumberland  Church. 

Wright  ( Sixth  Corps)  at  New  Store,  seven  miles 
further  to  W.  N.  W.,  at  the  junction  of  the  Lynch- 
burg Plank  Road  and  the  Pike. 

Humphreys  (combined  Second-Third  Corps)  about 


APPENDIX  I.  447 

seven  miles  farther  on  W.  at  Rain's  on  the  now  com- 
bined roads. 

At  dusk  Hnmphreys  was  skirmishing  with  the 
Rebel  rearguard  ; but  it  would  seem  as  if  Lee's  troops 
kept  steadily  on  all  night,  leaving  a small  force  to 
cover  their  movements.  Gordon's  corps  leading,  had 
struck  a better  road  about  midday  of  the  8th  and 
made  rapid  progress  till  dark  (Captain  [Confederate] 
J.  C.  Gorman  (P.  27),  when  the  head  of  the  column 
had  reached  Appomattox  Court  House  and  the  rear 
was  within  four  miles.  (Gorman  is  evidently  all 
wrong  here,  for  he  says,  just  after  it,  that  Gordon’s 
corps  was  aroused  and  moved  hurriedly  at  2 o’clock 
A.  M.  of  the  9th.  When  they  reached  Appomattox 
Court  House  they  found  their  [Confederate]  cavalry 
confronting  Custer’s  cavalry.)  These  troops  went 
into  camp  early  in  the  evening  ; the  bands  of  the 
divisions  enlivened  the  departing  hours  of  the  day 
with  martial  music  and  were  applauded  with  the 
usual  cheers  of  the  troops.  Before  dark  all  had  par- 
taken of  their  food.  This  proves  that  the  Rebels 
were  not  as  destitute  of  food  as  has  been  represented, 
and  the  bands  must  have  had  considerable  strength 
to  play  after  such  a march.  In  fact,  the  same  au- 
thority, Captain  Gorman,  says,  in  his  “ Lee’s  Last 
Campaign,”  that  in  the  vicinity  of  Farmville,  on  the 
morning  of  the  7th,  the  haversacks  of  many  of  the 
men  were  replenished  for  the  first  time  since  leaving 
Petersburg.  It  has  been  previously  established  by 
Humphreys,  de  Trobriand  and  others  that  the 
country  between  Jetersville  and  Appomattox  Court 
House  was  by  no  means  destitute,  or  even,  to  ap- 
pearance, short  of  provisions.  “ The  old  spirit 
seemed  to  be  returning.”  “ We  had  begun  to  con- 


448 


APPENDIX  I. 


gratulate  ourselves  that  the  pursuit  was  over  and 
felt  sure  that  we  would  make  the  trip  to  Lynchburg, 
which  was  only  twenty-four  miles  off.” 

BUT — “ before  we  had  completed  our  meal  the 
rumbling  of  distant  cannonading  sounded  warningly 
in  front.”  ****** 

“The  fact  was,  that  the  enemy’s  cavalry,  in  heavy 
force  at  Appomattox,  had  disputed  our  advance — 
had  cut  off  a train  of  wagons  and  artillery.” 

This  same  cannonading  to  which  the  Confederate 
Captain  Gorman  alludes,  had  been  heard  at  Hum- 
phreys’ halting  place  in  the  early  part  of  the  night. 

The  distant  “diapason  of  the  cannonade  ” broke 
in  sullenly  upon  the  ears  of  the  combined  Second- 
Third  Corps  about  dusk  on  the  evening  of  the  8th. 
This  cannonade  was  many  miles  away,  perhaps  nine 
or  even  more  miles  off  to  the  southwest  and  was  the 
bellowing  of  Sheridan’s  horse-batteries,  engaging 
with  the  thirty  Rebel  guns  and  upwards,  covering 
the  desperate  effort  to  break  through  “ the  Circle  of 
the  Hunt,”  making,  and  about  to  be  made,  in  greater 
force,  by  the  Rebel  General  Walker,  with  the  lead- 
ing divisions  or  brigades  of  Gordon’s  command. 

Thus  the  Union  and  Rebel  troops  were  sinking 
down  into  their  bivouacs  or  seeking  their  camping 
grounds  to  the  portentous  echoes  of  those  “fire- 
throats,”  whose  hoarse  roar  and  duller  echoes  were 
for  the  last  time  reverberating  amid  the  Blue  Hills 
of  ancient  Virginia  and  breaking  the  early  slumbers 
of  the  rebellious  but  now  completely  conquered 
dwellers  in  the  Old  Dominion. 

****** 

As  some  changes  took  place  during  the  night,  it  is 
of  interest  to  every  reader  to  learn  the  relative  posi- 


APPENDIX  I. 


449 


tions  of  the  Rebel  and  Union  forces  on  the  morning 
of  the  9th.  As  is  well  known,  Sheridan’s  cavalry 
had  struck  the  enemy  on  the  evening  of  the  8th,  at 
Appomattox  Station  and  captured  four  large  trains 
of  cars  and  a number  of  wagons  and  twenty-four 
guns. 

* # *■  * * * 

Custer  reports  that  the  last  train  was  guarded  by 
about  two  divisions  of  Rebel  infantry,  with  over 
thirty  pieces  of  artillery,  all  under  command  of 
Major-General  Walker,  of  the  Third  Division  of 
Gordon’s  [Rebel  Second]  Corps.  The  main  attack 
occurred  about  9 p.  m.  The  fighting  was  not  over 
until  between  9 and  10  p.  M.,  when  the  Rebels  fell 
back  rapidly  upon  Appomattox  Court  House.  The 
Union  cavalry  bivouacked  for  the  night,  in  close 
vicinity  to  this  centre,  where  daylight  of  the  9th 
found  them  ready  and  eager  for  the  work  of  the 
SUMMA  dies — “ the  day  of  decision”  for  Rebeldom. 

The  Fifth  Corps,  following  the  Twenty-fourth 
Corps,  bivouacked  about  2 a.  m.  of  the  9th,  within 
two  miles  of  Appomattox  Court  House.  It  moved 
again  at  4 a.  m.  and  about  6 a.  M.  reached  General 
Sheridan’s  headquarters  nearer  the  Court  House  and 
maneuvered  into  position  so  as  to  support  the  cav- 
alry who  soon  needed  this  backing.  (Compare  Ex- 
tracts from  the  Infantry  and  Cavalry  Reports  in  the 
Citizen,  of  the  16th  and  23d  Dec.  1871.) 

The  two  corps,  or  portions  of  the  one,  the  Twenty- 
fourth,  and  a division  of  the  Second,  Twenty-fifth, 
composing  the  Army  of  the  James,  after  having 
been,  as  reported,  on  the  march  from  daylight  of 
the  8th  till  10  a.  m.  on  the  9th  April,  except  three 
hours,  were  deployed  across  the  outlet,  through 
29 


450 


APPENDIX  I. 


which  Gordon,  with  Lee's  advance,  was  making  his 
desperate  attempt  to  escape,  and  were  “ barely  in 
time.”  Ord  intimates  that  Gordon  would  have  suc- 
ceeded, “in  spite  of  Sheridan’s  attempt  to  hold 
him,” — “ our  cavalry  were  falling  back  in  confusion 
before  Lee’s  infantry,” — had  not  our  “Blue  Coats” 
developed  their  lines  behind  our  horsemen.  This 
was  to  the  south  and  southwest  of  Appomattox 
Court  House,  or  Clover  Hill,  although  the  writer  has 
seen  the  latter  designation  given  to  an  eminence  in 
close  vicinity  to  the  left  flank  of  Humphreys’  front. 
Cavalry  Devin  would  seem  to  indicate  still  another 
position  for  Clover  Hill.  (Bates,  History  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, Vol.  II,  706.)  See  his  Report,  V.,  Citizen, 
23d  Dec.,  1871,)* 

* (This  “ Blending ,”  or  “ masking  ” of  artillery  and  infantry 
with  cavalry  is  by  no  moans  novel.  It  is  impossible  to  fix  any 
date  when  artillery,  sufficiently  light  to  accompany  the  move- 
ments of  cavalry,  was  brought  into  the  field,  but  a French 
work,  “ CuriositSs  Militaires,”  pp.  170-172,  says  that  the  novel 
and  prompt  manner  of  employing  artillery  masked  by  cavalry 
was  the  idea  of  Charles  Brise,  a Norman  naval  artillerist,  and  it 
was  utilized  by  Henry  IV,  in  1589,  in  one  of  the  engagements  near 
Arques.  The  “Journal  of  the  Military  Service  Institution,” 
for  September,  1885,  states  that  the  introduction  of  Horse 
Artillery,  in  the  French  service,  was  due  to  Lafayette  after  a 
visit  to  Prussia  ; but  it  has  been  asserted  that  his  first  sugges- 
tions and  efforts  in  this  direction  were  made  after  his  return 
from  service  under  Washington,  and  I have  seen  a picture 
which  leads  me  to  believe  that  the  supposition  of  his  getting 
the  idea  in  America  is  correct.  What  is  more,  the  Spaniards, 
during  the  Dutch  War  for  Independence,  were  accustomed  to 
mask  the  presence  of  artillery  by  blindages  of  the  other  arms, 
and  I have  seen  an  account  of  cavalry  drawn  aside,  exactly  as 
at  Appomattox  Court  House,  to  reveal  the  startling  and  de- 
cisive presence  of  infantry.  The  fact  is,  such  a manoeuvre  has 
been  practised  again  and  again,  with  the  same  satisfactory  ant!, 
startling  results,  on  a variety  of  occasions.  Anchor.) 


APPENDIX  I. 


451 


Meanwhile  the  mass  of  Lee's  army,  under  Long- 
street,  was  entrenched  across  the  Lynchburg  Plank 
Road  and  Pike,  about  three  to  four  miles  N.  W.  of 
Appomattox  Court  House.  Their  left,  fronting  east, 
was  in  some  woods  which  fed  the  head  waters  of 
Devil’s  Creek,  their  right  on  Wolf’s  Creek.  Their 
centre  was  for  a short  space  at  New  Hope  Church. 
This,  if  significant,  was  but  very  short-lived,  as  much 
so  as  their  stand  there.  It  was  afterwards  within 
Humphreys’  lines. 

Colonel  Paine  says  “Wolf  Creek  Church  or  New 
Hope  Church,”  a curious  association  of  names,  un- 
less the  New  Hope  came  in  after  the  wolves  were 
cleared  out. 

Longstreet’s  or  Lee’s  headquarters  was  in  a house 
at  a locality  known  as  Pleasant  Retreat,  certainly 
the  least  indicative  of  the  actual  condition  of  Rebel 
affairs  which  well  could  be  imagined. 

According  to  Col.  M.  W.  Burns,  73d  N.  Y.  V., 
Longstreet’s  own  headquarters  were  in  the  first 
small  house  on  the  combined  plank  road  and  pike 
inside  the  Rebel  lines,  designated  Pleasant  Retreat. 

According  to  a letter  from  an  officer  of  high  rank 
and  the  clearest  observation,  the  troops  in  front  of 
Humphreys  were  as  follows  : “ On  the  Confederate 
right  of  the  road,  came  first  Heth’s  division,  then 
Wilcox’s,  then  Mahone’s.  (Heth's  First,  Second  and 
Third  Divisions — all  Third,  Rebel,  Corps.)  On  the 
Confederate  left  of  the  road,  came  first  Pickett’s 
remnant  (800),  then  Field’s  division,  then  Hum- 
phreys’ (of  Mississippi)  division,  (formerly  Ker- 
shaw’s).” L.  I.,  3. 

At  9 a.  M.  April  9th,  Humphreys  informed  Meade 
that  the  head  of  his  column  had  gone  into  camp  at 


452 


APPENDIX  I. 


midnight.  At  11  A.  M.  he  reported  that  the  head  of 
his  Third  Division  (Old  Third)  had  not  been  able  to 
reach  the  halting  place  till  4 a.  m.  of  the  same  morn- 
ing. As  the  train  with  two  days’  rations  followed 
this  division,  the  delay  in  their  distribution  must 
have  retarded  forward  movements  till  8 a.  m.  : like- 
wise the  fact  of  Humphreys’  “ push-forward  ” dur- 
ing the  night,  from  the  camp  which  Meade,  8.35 
P.  M.  8th  (D.  B.  5,  4G,27),  had  ordered  him  to  occupy, 
but  from  which  he  advanced  at  8 P.  M.  8th  (D.  B.  5, 
51,  30).  About  6 a.  M.  of  the  9th  the  supply  train 
was  up  and  rations  were  at  once  distributed  (7,  4, 
’72),  so  that  when  Humphreys  did  move  on  again, 
he  writes:  “My  men  are  marching  finety,  the 
effect  of  the  rations.”  This  shows  that  our  men,  as 
well  as  the  rebels,  were  fatigued,  indeed,  almost 
fagged  out  and  faint,  from  want  of  food.  One  of 
the  officers  on  this  pursuit  said  he  did  not  eat  for 
forty-eight  hours. 

Humphreys  was  pressing  Field’s  division,  which 
had  resumed  its  last  march  in  retreat  at  midnight  of 
the  8 th.  (This  is  taken  from  information  I (Hum- 
phreys) obtained  and  sent  in  a dispatch  to  Meade — but 
it  is  in  conflict  with  what  Gorman  says.)  It  will  be 
remembei'ed  that  Field  commanded  a division,  four 
or  five  thousand  strong,  to  the  very  last.  It  was  the 
Second  of  the  Rebel  First  (Longstreet’s)  Corps. 

How  could  this  be  if  Gorman  is  right : “ Gordon’s 
Corps  was  aroused  at  2 o’clock,  morning  of  the  9th,” 
&c.,  &c. 

Immediately  in  front,  that  is,  leading  Field’s,  were 
Wilcox’s  (Second)  and  Heth’s  (First)  divisions  of 
the  Rebel  Third  (prior  April  3d,  A.  P.  Hill’s)  Corps  ; 
Mahone  with  the  Third  Division  of  the  same  corps 


APPENDIX  I. 


453 


was  in  front  of  these  two  corps  and  already  entrench- 
ing in  the  last  defensive  position  occupied  by  the 
Array  of  Northern  Virginia. 

Besides  the  troops  thus  indicated,  Longstreet  had 
with  him  the  remnant  of  Pickett’s  Division  and  the 
remains  of  Kershaw’s  (or  Mississippi  Humphreys’) 
Third  Division  of  Longstreet’s  own  Rebel  First 
Corps. 

The  nearest  Union  troops  to  Lee’s  main  force,  at 
this  time,  were  undoubtedly  those  of  Humphreys. 
The  Sixth,  following  the  combined  Second-Third 
Corps,  was  not  in  close  support,  till  near  noon  of  the 
9th.  This  is  shown  by  Webb’s  dispatch,  10.30  A.  M., 
in  which  he  tells  Humphreys,  “ General  Wright  is 
ordered  to  pass  your  train  and  to  push  up.” 

Readers  may  have  supposed  that  in  the  presenta- 
tion of  this  history,  incidents  have  been  invested 
with  rose-colored  tints  to  render  A.  A.  Humphreys’ 
conduct  more  conspicuous.  So  far  from  this  being 
the  case,  the  narrative  is  a sober  statement  of  clear 
facts:  “You  will  see  in  my  report  (A.  A.  H.)  that 
when  on  the  6th  April  I discovered  Lee  in  retreat 
and  had  opened  artillery  on  him,  and  had  directed  a 
brigade  of  Mott’s  to  feel  him,  I reported  what  I had 
seen  and  done  to  General  Meade,  and  then  made  all 
the  dispositions  to  cross  the  whole  corps  at  Amelia 
Springs  to  attack  Lee,  so  that  when  the  direction 
from  Meade  came,  I was  ready,  and  moved  at  once 
across  the  [Flat]  creek.  From  that  time  forward, 
until  late  on  the  8th  April,  my  movements  and 
operations  were  directed  solely  by  myself,  as  it  was 
proper  they  should  be.”  It  has  been  shown  that 
Grant  and  Lee’s  correspondence  on  the  7th  and  8th 
passed  through  Humphreys’  lines,  under  the  escort 


454 


APPENDIX  I. 


of  his  staff  officers.  It  will  now  be  seen  that  this 
continued  to  be  the  case  on  the  9th,  until  Grant,  by 
a detour,  had  left  the  direct  route  followed  by 
Humphreys,  and  had  passed  around  to  the  vicinity 
of  Appomattox  Court  House,  which,  about  midday 
on  the  9th,  was  on  neutral  ground,  between  the 
picket  lines,  when  the  flags  of  truce  were  passing. 

This  is  not  intended  to  detract  in  the  least  from 
General  Sheridan’s  activity,  but  neither  he  nor  his 
troopers  were  in  direct  contact  with  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia  proper,  after  the  fights  of  the 
evening  of  the  6th,  with  the  exception  of  Crook’s 
repulse  on  the  7th,  until  the  evening  of  the  8th  and 
the  morning  of  the  9th,  and  then  only  with  Lee’s 
advance  under  Gordon  (comprising  the  divisions  in 
whole  or  in  part  of  Early’s  old  Army  of  the  Shenan- 
doah) ; Humphreys  still  confronting  Lee’s  main  force 
under  Longstreet. 

In  the  Citizen,  March  23d,  1872,  the  first  four 
notes  of  the  7th  and  8th  April  were  presented,  with 
the  circumstances  of  their  transmittal  and  delivery. 

When  Grant  wrote  his  third  communication  to 
Lee  (Note5  [Official  War  Records,  Vol.  46,  Part  1,  p. 
57])  he  was  at  his  camp  for  the  night  of  the8th-9th  at 
Curdsville,  rather  nearer  New  Store  than  Cumber- 
land Church,  and  two-thirds  of  the  way  from  Farm- 
ville  to  New  Store.  This  communication  wasbrought 
to  Major-General  Humphreys  while  on  the  march  on 
the  morning  of  the  9th.  The  bearer  of  it  was  Major 
Chas.  E.  Pease,  A.  A.  G.,  Headquarters  Army  of 
the  Potomac.  He  it  was  (A.  A.  H.,  6,  9,  ’71)  who 
took  General  Lee’s  letter  (Note  6)  to  General  Grant, 
after  it  had  been  brought  in  by  Colonel  Whittier  to 
Humphreys,  on  the  march,  between  10  and  11a.  m. 


APPENDIX  I. 


455 


(9th),  as  is  narrated  by  that  officer  in  his  own  letter, 
yet  to  be  quoted  at  length.  Whittier  delivered  Note 
6 to  General  Meade,  and  Meade  sent  it  by  Major  Pease 
to  General  Grant, overtaking  the  latter  about  five  miles 
from  Appomattox  Court  House  [11.  50  A.  M.  (Cannon, 
44G) . Midway  between  Ker’s  Church  and  Appomat- 
tox Court  House  (Greeley,  ii.  744)].  General  Grant 
at  once  opened  and  read  the  letter,  and  his  reply 
thereto  is  Note  7. 

The  same  staff  officer  of  Lee,  who  was  the  bearer 
of  Note  6,  subsequently  brought  two  successive  mes- 
sages from  Lee  to  Humphreys,  urging  the  latter  to 
halt  his  troops  and  not  press  on  the  Confederate 
forces— messages  which  Humphreys,  with  whom 
war  meant  fighting,  rejected  and  paid  no  heed  to, 
just  as  a good  soldier  should  always  do  and  should 
have  done. 

Lee  was  “on  the  picket  line”  in  front  of  Hum- 
phreys when  he  received  Grant’s  third  note  (5),  and 
while  he  wrote  his  third  communication  (Note  6)  on 
the  morning  of  the  9th  April.  The  circumstances 
attending  its  delivery  are  narrated  at  length  by  Col. 
C.  A.  Whittier — (in  April,  1865,  A.  A.  G.  on  the 
staff  of  Maj.-Gen.  A.  A.  Humphreys,  commanding 
the  combined  Second-Third  Corps) — as  will  appear 
from  the  following  extracts  from  his  letter,  dated 
Boston,  8th  August,  1871. 

[General  Whittier  belongs  to  Boston,  went  out  in 
the  20th  Massachusetts  Volunteers — “ the  crack  regi- 
ment ” from  that  State  ; in  the  summer  of  1862  be- 
came an  aide  to  Sedgwick,  then  commanding  the 
Second  Division,  Second  Corps,  Army  of  the  Poto- 
mac ; remained  with  the  general  until  he  was  killed, 
going  with  him  as  Major  A.  D.  C.  when  Sedgwick 


456 


APPENDIX  I. 


was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  Sixth  Corps,  in 
the  winter  of  1862-63.  From  this  (Sixth  Corps)  he 
came  to  Humphreys,  in  the  winter  of  1864-65,  and 
remained  with  him  to  the  last.  (A.  A.  H.  30,  3, 
72)]. 

“ On  the  next  morning,  the  8th  April,  General 
Williams  rode  up,  and,  as  he  was  going  out  on  our 
front  with  a flag  of  truce,  I accompanied  him,  each 
of  us  having  an  orderly.  We  were  fired  upon,  and 
General  Williams’  orderly  (behind  us)  was  shot  in 
the  leg  ; the  letter  was  delivered  to  one  of  Fitzhugh 
Lee's  staff  officers,  General  Williams  saying  that 
these  letters  or  this  communication  was  in  no  way  to 
interfere  with  the  operations  then  being  conducted. 
At  noon  of  the  same  day  (the  8th)  it  was  announced 
to  us  that  the  enemy  was  showing  a flag  of  truce. 
I was  sent  by  you  (A.  A.  H.)  to  meet  it.  I met  one 
of  Fitzhugh  Lee’s  staff,  whose  inquiry  was  whether 
the  flag,  before  sent,  was  to  affect,  in  any  way,  im- 
pending operations.  As  I had  already  heard  this 
thing  provided  for  by  General  Williams,  I answered, 
without  communicating  with  higher  authorities,  in 
the  negative.  (It  was  at  this  time  I sent  a regiment 
to  protect  our  trains  of  supplies  coming  up  in  the 
rear  [12J  p.  m,,  8,  4,  65]  , A.  A.  H.) 

“ The  same  night  (as  I remember,  though  I can’t 
at  all  remember  any  letter  from  the  enemy  being 
brought  in — we  were  bivouacking  at  the  time  in 
woods  just  at  dusk  and  the  men  eating  and  resting) 
I was  sent  by  you  to  General  Meade’s  headquarters 
— a ride  of  two  or  three  hours — and  delivered  a note 
to  General  Meade  and  waited  for  him  to  go  to  General 
Grant.  I started  back  to  you  about  midnight  with 
no  answer,  I think.  The  corps  had  moved.  I over- 


APPENDIX  I. 


457 


took  you  about  daylight  * * * took  a nap,  from 
which  I was  awakened  by  you  * * * You  said 
that  as  I had  gone  out  with  the  other  flags,  you 
would  like  me  to  take  this  one,  unless  I was  too 
much  fatigued — (this  letter  must  have  been  Note  5). 
I started  out  and  at  last  I met  a person  (chief  of 
General  Lee’s  couriers,  so  he  said),  who  asked  me  if 
I had  a letter  for  General  Lee.  ‘ Yes,’  I replied.  ‘ I 
will  take  it,’  said  he.  ‘ Pardon,’  said  I,  ‘ but  I must 
deliver  it  to  a commissioned  officer.’  ‘ We  will  meet 
one  if  we  ride  on  a short  distance.’ 

“We  soon  met  Colonel  Marshall,  of  General  Lee’s 
staff,  who  took  the  letter  and  asked  me  to  ride  up 
the  road  with  him.  We  soon  met  General  Lee,  who 
read  the  note  brought  by  me  and  commenced  dictat- 
ing (to  Colonel  Marshall)  an  answer. 

“ Heavy  firing  in  the  direction  of  Appomattox  was 
then  heard,  and  a Confederate  officer  (with  but  one 
arm)  of  fine  appearance,  well  mounted,  etc.,  rode 
rapidly  towards  us;  after  speaking  with  General 
Lee,  the  latter,  apparently,  hurriedly  finished  his 
letter  (Note  6,  I suppose),  which  was  handed  to  me 
by  Colonel  Marshall,  who  said,  ‘ Please  say  to  Gen- 
eral Grant,  that  General  Lee  came  here  expecting  to 
meet  him — that  he  (General  Lee)  understood  that 
all  movements  were  to  be  suspended  * — that  he  is  just 
informed  that  a heavy  engagement  is  taking  place 
at  Appomattox  and  he  would  like  to  know  when  and 
where  he  can  meet  General  Grant ! ” 

“ I at  once  reported  back  to  you,  thence  to  Gen- 
eral Meade.  General  Grant  had  gone  across  country 
to  Appomattox  Court  House.  I returned  to  you. 
Later — at  about  noon — General  Meade  sent  a nott 
(which  I think  only  stated  that  General  Grant  had 
* See  page  339,  Chap.  XIII.,  Report  of  Fitzhugh  Lee. 


458 


APPENDIX  I. 


gone  to  Appomattox  Court  House)  ; this  I started 
with  and  soon  came  in  sight  of  the  enemy  in  their 
last  ditch — the  pickets  saw  me — my  flag  was  a large 
one.  They  fired  upon  me — ( en  passant,  I’d  like  here 
to  make  this  claim — that  the  last  hostile  bullet  fired 
by  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  was  at  me.) 
(Combined  Second-Third  Corps.)  I dismounted; 
being  told  after  a short  interval  to  advance.  I met  an 
officer  who  called  himself  Lieutenant  Lamar  of 
Georgia,  or  Alabama  ; to  my  indignant  protest  at 
being  fired  on  (stating  that  General  Williams’ 
orderly  had  been  wounded  on  the  preceding  day), 
Lieutenant  Lamar  replied,  ‘ I have  no  instructions 

not  to  fire  upon  the  flags  of  truce.'  ! me- 

thought,  but  said  nothing. 

“ Our  line  was  then  formed  for  an  advance  upon 
the  enemy  in  position,  and  in  five  minutes,  at  least, 
a conflict  would  have  commenced.  * * * Gen- 
eral Meade  joined  us  at  about  this  time  and  a sus- 
pension of  hostilities  for  an  hour,  either  through  his 
or  some  one  else’s  agency,  was  ordered.  At  the  ex- 
piration of  the  hour,  an  advance  was  directed,  and, 
as  we  were  in  close  proximity  to  the  enemy’s  line, 
we  were  met  by  Forsyth  of  General  Sheridan’s, 
Marshall  of  General  Lee’s  staff  and  one  or  two  others, 
who  announced  an  extension  of  the  truce.” 

The  reader  will  perceive  from  the  wording  of  Note 
6 [the  third  from  Lee  in  response  to  the  third  from 
Grant,  (Tenney,  696,  2)],  that  Lee  must  have  been 
“on  the  (Rebel)  picket  line,”  which  our  Humphreys’ 
moving  or  “ all  alive,  oh  ! ” skirmish  line  was  press- 
ing or  feeling  to  all  the  time.  He  was  there  on  the 
morning  of  the  9th  of  April,  asking  for  and  awaiting 
an  interview  with  General  Grant,  to  ascertain  def- 


APPENDIX  I. 


459 


initely  the  terms  of  surrender  offered  by  our  Lieu- 
tenant-General. This  was  between  10  and  11  o’clock 
a.  M.  Lee  remained  there,  close  to  the  officer  of  his 
staff,  by  whom  he  sent  urgent  requests  to  Hum- 
phreys for  the  latter  to  halt ; this  was  as  late  an 
hour  as  11  o'clock  a.  m.  This  is  all-sufficient  evi- 
dence that,  while  Sheridan  and  Ord  were  discussing 
matters,  preliminary  to  a truce,  with  the  Rebel 
Lieutenant-General  Longstreet  and  Major-General 
Gordon,  as  related  by  “A  Staff  Officer,”  in  “With 
General  Sheridan,”  Major-General  Humphreys  was 
in  direct  communication  with  General  Lee. 

Lieutenant-General  Grant,  however,  after  writing 
his  first  letter  (Note  5)  to  Lee.  on  the  morning  of  the 
9th,  had  ridden  across  by  Walker’s  Church  towards 
Appomattox  Court  House.  Before  reaching  the 
Court  House,  and  while  yet  five  or  six  miles  from  it, 
the  messenger  sent  by  Humphreys,  Major  Pease, 
overtook  him  with  Lee’s  letter  (Note  6),  which  was 
written  immediately  in  Humphreys’  front. 

As  a “ Staff  Officer  ” inserts  a copy  of  the  same 
letter  (Note  6),  originally  sent  to  Grant  by  Major 
Pease,  and  states  that  General  Longstreet  was  at 
Appomattox  Court  House  about  the  hour  mentioned, 
and  that  he  (Longstreet)  bore  a dispatch  from  Lee 
to  Grant,  this  dispatch  must  have  been  a duplicate 
of  the  communication  (Note  6)  sent  first  to  Hum- 
phreys, and  by  him  sent  to  his  rear  by  Major  Pease, 
and  thence  to  Lieutenant-General  Grant.  This  must 
be  the  letter  referred  to  in  the  dispatch  of  Major- 
General  Meade  of  10  a.  m.,  9th  April,  in  which  he 
mentions  an  answer  from  himself  to  Lee,  recapitulat- 
ing Grant’s  terms,  and  advises  an  interview  with 
the  Rebel  general.  Meade  was  at  this  time  on 


460 


APPENDIX  I. 


Humphreys’  route,  and  his  language  not  only  con- 
firms Humphreys’  claim,  but  seems  to  clear  up  the 
matter  beyond  a doubt. 

All  this  time  Lee  was  in  Humphreys’  front,  re- 
peatedly urging  the  halting  of  the  latter’s  troops,  to 
which  Humphreys  did  not  feel  authorized  to  accede. 

About  a mile  beyond  the  last  flag  of  truce,  and 
about  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  after  Humphreys 
had  ordered  Lee’s  staff  officer  out  of  his  way,  and 
just  as  Humphreys  was  about  opening  fire  upon  Lee, 
~ General  Meade  came  up,  and,  having  received  a com- 
munication from  Lee,  assented  to  a truce. 

Meade’s  communication  to  Lee  (dated  Headquar- 
ters, Army  of  the  Potomac,  9th  April,  1865)  is  the 
first  mention  of  his  knowledge  of  any  cessation  of 
hostilities  between  Ord  and  any  portion  of  Lee’s  com- 
mand. As  Meade  was  on  Humphreys’  front  it  is  im- 
portant to  note  the  time,  12  m.,  and  the  information 
of  Ord’s  truce  with  Longstreet  was  brought  to  Meade 
by  General  Forsyth,  of  Sheridan’s  staff,  and  was  un- 
doubtedly received  by  Meade  within  half  an  hour 
after  it  was  granted  by  Ord  and  Sheridan. 

This  may  all  seem  unimportant,  but  it  establishes 
several  facts.  First,  where  Lee  was  while  Ord, 
Sheridan,  Longstreet  and  Gordon  were  treating — i.e. 
in  front  of  Humphreys.  Second,  that  Grant  had  not 
yet  reached  Appomattox  Court  House  to  receive, 
there,  the  last  letter  of  Lee  (Note  6)  which  passed 
through  Humphreys — that  is,  the  last  letter  of  Lee 
before  Grant  and  Lee  were  communicating  with  each 
other  directly,  at  first  with  the  lips  (Notes  8 and  9) 
and  then  with  the  pen — at  the  Court  House,  at  which 
time  the  retreat  and  pursuit,  the  attack  and  defense, 
the  fighting  was  all  over.  To  make  it  perfectly  clear, 


APPENDIX  I. 


461 


Notes  8 and  9 followed  the  personal  interview  between 
Grant  and  Lee,  and  simply  put  on  record  what  had 
been  agreed  upon.  Grant’s  own  report  establishes 
this  curious  fact.  Third,  that  while  hostilities  were 
still  ablaze,  so  to  speak,  all  communications  between 
Grant  and  Lee  passed  through  Humphreys,  because 
Humphreys  with  the  combined  Second-Third  Corps 
was  the  nearest  to  Lee  all  the  time  and  the  most 
persistently  pressing  him. 

Note  6,  as  several  times  stated,  was  the  last  which 
passed  between  Grant  and  Lee  through  Humphreys. 
The  next  (Note  7)  is  not  to  be  found  in  all  the  histo- 
ries of  the  war,  but  is  given  by  Tenney,  69G  (2).  It 
undoubtedly  passed  through  Sheridan’s  lines,  as  has 
always  been  admitted  in  these  articles. 

Col.  Newhall,  inhis  “ With  General  Sheridan,  etc.,” 
must  refer  to  this  note  (No.  7)  at  page  216,  confound- 
ing it  with  Note  6,  which  was  delivered  at  11.30, 
when  the  subordinate  Union  and  Rebel  generals  were 
already  in  conference  at  Appomattox  Court  House. 

Grant  was  at  the  time,  as  stated  therein,  four  miles 
W.  of  Walker’s  Church,  that,  is  still  six  to  eight 
miles,  by  the  road,  east  of  Appomattox  Court  House. 
This  was  some  time  before  Note  8 from  Grant  to  Lee, 
and  Note  9,  in  response,  were  written.  Grant  says, 
in  his  own  report  (Reb.  Rec.,  XI.  357),  “The  inter- 
view (between  Grant  and  Lee)  was  held  at  Appo- 
mattox Court  House,  the  result  of  which  is  set  forth 
in  the  following  correspondence  ” (Notes  8 and  9) . 
[The  capitulation  was  signed  3.30  P.M.  (A.  and  N.  J., 
11,  545—2.)] 

Grant  and  Lee,  however,  had  not  yet  met.  A 
cavalry  officer  (“  A Volunteer  Cavalryman  ”)  men- 
tioned that  he  had  heard  at  the  time,  that  Lee’s  last 


462 


APPENDIX  I. 


note  passed  through  Whittaker  of  Custer’s  staff,  a 
name  which  might  have  easily  been  confounded 
with  that  of  Whittier,  Humphreys’  staff  officer. 

It  would  he  very  interesting  and  in  some  respects 
profitable  to  get  Lee’s  own  account  of  his  where- 
abouts at  different  hours— a time-table  of  his  move- 
ments— during  this  9th  of  April  and  the  five,  par- 
ticularly the  three — 6th,  7th  and  8th  April — preced- 
ing days, 

Lieutenant-General  Grant,  when  he  wrote  his 
fourth  communication  (No.  7),  at  11.50  a.m.  of  the  9th 
• — to  impress  the  fact — -was  four  miles  west  of  Walk- 
er’s Church  and  still  about  eight  or  ten  miles  east  of 
Appomattox  Court  House.  This  Walker’s  Church 
is  on  a road  running  south  from  New  Store — near 
which  place  Humphreys  received  Note  4 from  Lee 
to  Grant — through  Planterstown  by  Cut  Banks  Ford 
(mentioned  in  his  report  by  cavalry  General  Devin, 
Citizen,  23,  12,  ’71),  to  the  south  of  the  Appomattox, 
and  stands  near  the  junction  of  this  road  with  an- 
other east  and  west,  about  the  same  course  as  that 
river,  eventually  leading  to  Appomattox  Court 
House.  These  roads  Grant  took  on  the  morning  of 
the  9th. 

To  close  up  the  whole  matter  of  the  coiTespondence, 
so  as  not  to  have  to  refer  to  it  again,  two  last  com- 
munications (Nos.  8,  from  Grant  to  Lee,  and  9,  from 
Lee  in  return)  can  scarcely  be  considered  as  written 
pending  hostilities.  They  were  written  af  ter  Grant 
and  Lee’s  personal  interview.  Grant’s  last  (No.  8)  is 
headed  “Appomattox  Court  House  ” (no  hour)  ; but 
at  12  M.  Meade,  in  a note  to  Lee,  mentions  that  he 
had  sanctioned  a cessation  of  hostilities  that  had 
been  agreed  on  between  Ord  and  Lee’s  command, 


APPENDIX  I 


463 


which  suspension  Meade  extended  for  two  hours,  i.e. 
to  2 p.  M.  Lee’s  fourth  and  last  note  (Note  9)  is 
headed  : “Headquarters  Army  Northern  Virginia.” 
Lee  was  then  at  or  near  Appomattox  Court  House, 
and  it  is  supposed  that  his  headquarters  were  wher- 
ever he  was.  Undoubtedly,  judging  from  concur- 
rent circumstances,  the  last  two  notes  of  Grant  and 
Lee  (5th  of  Grant,  4th  of  Lee)  were  written  at  the 
same  place.  According  to  the  Army  and  Navy  Jour- 
nal, II.,  545  [2],  “ Lee’s  Letter  of  Acceptance  [Note  9 ?] 
was  signed  in  the  farm-house  at  Appomattox  Court 
House,  which  will  always  be  memorable  as  the  place 
of  surrender.” 

Having  thus  disposed  of  this  matter,  which  is  of 
more  importance  in  its  bearing  than  in  itself,  in 
establishing  beyond  question  who  was  unceasingly 
nearest  the  enemy — i.  e.  Humphreys — the  reader 
must  now  revert  back  to  the  antagonistic  positions 
of  Humphreys  and  Lee  at  the  latter’s  “ Pleasant 
Retreat.”  It  has  been  so  much  the  fashion  to  under- 
estimate the  number  of  troops  at  Lee’s  disposal  on 
the  morning  of  the  9th  and  depreciate  their  physical 
condition  that  a very  false  impression  has  been 
created,  and  would  be  perpetuated  were  no  voice  or 
pen  uplifted  in  defence  of  the  truth.  That  this 
underestimation  and  depreciation  should  be  done  by 
Rebel  writers  to  lessen  the  humiliation  of  the  catas- 
trophe, is  excusable,  and  would  be  almost  commend- 
able could  the  perversion  of  history  be  pardoned  for 
any  cause, 

That,  however.  Northern  writers,  calling  them- 
selves Union,  should  minister  to  this  delusion,  is  a 
sort  of  treason  to  the  brave  army  which  compelled 
the  catastrophe. 


464 


APPENDIX  I. 


While  writing  and  running  back  through  the  past, 
how  many  cases  occur  where  a defeated  army 
abandoned  or  destroyed  its  arms,  and  an  army  about 
to  capitulate  concealed  all  that  could  prove  trophies 
to  the  conquerors?  European  armies,  the  French 
especially,  consider  this  course  as  commendable,  as 
well  as  justifiable.  After  Aughrim,  which  decided 
the  fate  of  Ireland,  in  1691,  the  Irish  army,  which 
had  fought  with  distinguished  pertinacity  and  valor 
up  to  a certain  moment,  threw  away  their  firelocks 
in  such  numbers  that  Ginkel,  the  victor,  lowered  the 
price  of  each  musket  turned  in,  to  twopence.  After 
Woerth,  the  French  tore  off  and  cast  aside  every- 
thing that  impeded  retreat.  Moreover,  it  is  consid- 
ered the  acme  of  Bazaine’s  disgrace  that  he  sur- 
rendered all  his  material  intact,  to  the  minutest 
article. 

Some  of  Napoleon’s  greatest  successes  were 
founded  on  deceptions.  Among  the  notable,  remark 
the  stratagem  by  which  Lannes  and  Murat  and  Bel- 
liard  obtained  possession  of  the  Tabor  bridge  across 
the  Danube,  13tli  November,  1805.  The  Russians  are 
accused  of  a similar  ruse  to  escape  pursuit  prior  to, 
and  towards,  Austerlitz,  which  occasioned  Napo- 
leon’s remark  that,  “ if  the  Russian  varnish  is  simply 
scratched  off,  the  original  Tartar  will  be  found 
underneath.”  Even  the  upright  ( Lebrecht ) Blucher 
is  averred  to  have  resorted  to  such  “ a very  question- 
able military  stratagem  to  secure  his  escape,”  after 
Jena.  1806,  although  this  is  another  French  story. 

******  -ji- 

lt is  no  criterion  to  judge  of  how  many  men  under 
arms  confronted  Humphreys  on  the  morning  of  the 
9th,  to  cite  those  who  actually  stacked  arms  when 


APPENDIX  I. 


465 


the  surrender  became  a fact.  In  an  European  army 
the  number  of  men  in  uniform  would  have  formed  a 
sure  basis  for  calculating  the  magnitude  of  the  force 
capitulating.  But  what  was  to  determine  this  fact 
in  an  army  whose  costume  realized  the  expression 
“ un-uniformed  troops  ? ” This  idea  recalls  Macau- 
lay’s remark  that,  when  the  Irish  troops  opposed  to 
William's  had  laid  aside  their  firelocks,  there  was  no 
means  of  distinguishing  between  the  pitiless  com- 
batant of  one  moment  and  the  peaceful  countryman 
of  the  next. 

Histories  range,  as  to  the  numbers  surrendered  by 
Lee,  from  26,000  to  over  28,000  ; Lossing  figures  out 
26,000  ; Draper  (who  wrote  under  the  best  of  au- 
spices) states  27,805  ; Harper’s  History,  generally 
very  accurate,  agrees  with  the  preceding  ; Cannon 
(British)  says  28.078  paroled,  of  whom  22,000  showed 
up  on  the  12th,  the  day  of  receiving  certificates.  The 
report  of  the  Secretary  of  War  sets  down  the 
number  paroled  at  27,805.  Colonel  Fletcher  (British) 
reads  8,000  armed  men  and  18,000  too  weak  to 
carry  their  muskets.  Maj.-Gen.  A.  S.  Webb, 
Chief  of  Staff,  Army  of  the  Potomac,  in  this  case 
one  of  the  most  competent  of  critics,  discussing 
the  surrender,  asked,  most  pertinently,  how  it  was 
possible  to  recognize  a soldier,  with  no  distinctive 
uniform,  in  a man  whose  only  designative  tokens 
of  a soldier  were  in  his  arms  and  accoutre- 
ments, which  he  had  thrown  away  on  purpose ; 
most  likely  in  the  hope  of  avoiding  the  responsi- 
bilities which  their  possession  entailed. 

One  of  the  most  observant  of  our  major-generals 
and  experienced  division  commanders,  who  kept 
notes,  in  discussing  the  matter,  stated  that  he  be- 
30 


466 


APPENDIX  I. 


lieved,  if  the  truth  could  be  discovered,  that  Lee 
had  between  30,000  and  40,000  men  of  all  sorts  and 
descriptions  with  him  at  Appomattox  Court  House, 
but  that,  as  soon  as  the  surrender  became  a fixed 
fact,  a large  number  “ put  forborne,”  without  stand- 
ing on  any  of  the  ceremonies  either  of  war  or  pro- 
priety. 

The  following  examination  will  expose  the  fallacy 
hitherto  received  as  fact : 

In  front  of  Humphreys,  Mahone  had  just  about 
4,000  in  A 1 fighting  condition  and  more  than  this 
number  is  claimed  for  Field’s.  With  them  were 
three  other  divisions.  Is  it  possible — is  it  reason- 
able— that  even  half  of  these  were  unarmed  ? Be- 
sides these,  Pickett’s  remnant.  This  accounts  for 
many  more  than  are  stated  to  have  stacked  arms  : 
men  occupying  entrenched  lines , resisting  and  deter- 
mined to  resist.  This  will  be  shown  by  the  testimony 
of  three  competent  witnesses. 

Humphreys  saw  these  entrenchments.  In  a letter 
(6,  9,  ’71)  he  says  that  Major  Pease  [already  referred 
to,  who  took  Lee’s  letter  (Note  6)  through  Hum- 
phreys to  Grant  and  accompanied  General  Grant  to 
Appomattox  Court  House],  in  returning  to  General 
Meade’s  headquarters  [just  after  the  surrender], 
passed  through  the  enemy’s  lines.  Their  line,  front- 
ing Sheridan  and  Ord,  he  is  understood  to  have  re- 
ported, was  not  entrenched.  “That facing  the  com- 
bined Second-Third  Corps  was  entrenched  fully 
breast-high,  and  had  an  abattis  of  felled  trees  in 
front.  An  opening  had  to  be  cut  to  enable  him 
[Major  Pease]  to  pass.” 

Col.  M.  W.  Burns  (73  N.  Y.  V.)  went  into  Long- 
street’s  lines  about  the  time  of  the  surrender.  He  is 


APPENDIX  I. 


467 


very  explicit  as  to  what  he  saw.  Some  of  the  Rebel 
troops  in  front  of  Humphreys  belonged  to  their  Third, 
formerly  A.  P.  Hill’s  Corps,  and  he  thought  that 
portions  of  their  First  [LongstreetJ  Corps  were  also 
on  the  same  front,  because  Longstreet’s  headquarters 
were  in  the  first  small  house  bisecting  the  opposing 
positions — Pleasant  Retreat,  as  before  stated — inside 
of  the  Rebel  lines.  He  was  not  able  to  furnish  any 
data  as  to  brigades  and  divisions,  but  was  of  opinion 
that  one  division  in  Humphreys’  front  was  com- 
manded by  General  Mahone.  This  is  well  known  to 
have  been  the  case.  He  judged,  from  what  he 
could  see,  that  there  were  about  10,000  men  who  had 
stacked  arms  along  the  road.  They  were  entrenched, 
as  far  as  he  could  discern,  on  each  side  of  this  road. 
They  were  about  ten  minutes  walk  from  Humphreys’ 
headquarters. 

Colonel  Fletcher  [(British)  III.,  iii.,  212-219]  who 
mainly  (?)  derived  his  information  from  Confederate 
sources,  implies  that  the  reason  why  Lee  gave  up  at 
last  was  because  Gordon  announced  “that  he  was 
being  driven  back.”  “He  [Lee]  perceived  that 
Longstreet  with  difficulty  held  his  ground  against 
the  force  accumulating  in  his  front  ” — Humphreys’ 
combined  Second-Third  and  Wright’s  Sixth  Corps. 
This  corroborates  Burns  as  to  where  Longstreet  was. 

Now  for  Colonel  Paine.  In  his  diary,  jotted  down 
on  the  spot  he  says  : 

“ Being  near  the  enemy’s  pickets,  I noticed  they 
were  gathering  in  knots,  and  seeing  a negro  come 
through  their  lines  and  towards  us,  I hailed  him  and 
asked  him  how  he  came  to  be  allowed  to  come 
through.  He  said  that  they  were  not  agoing  to  let 
him  through,  but  he  told  them  that  ‘ Lee  had  done 


468 


APPENDIX  I. 


gone  surrendered,’  and  ‘ they  began  to  talk  to  each 
other  and  he  came  on  and  left  them,  and  somethrowed 
down  their  arms  and  went  away,’  he  thought. 

“ I returned  to  ride  up  through  the  gap  and  by  the 
squad  of  perplexed  pickets,  and  on  into  their  lines, 
where  I found  considerable  confusion,  enough  to 
cover  my  movements.  I let  my  horse  walk,  but  did 
not  stop,  and,  although  spoken  to,  was  not  halted. 
I carefully  noted  the  courses  and  distances  in  my 
memory,  counting  my  horse's  paces,  and  glancing  at 
a small  compass,  passed  along  their  lines  of  earth- 
works. 

“ Took  a circuitous  route  back  and  through  the 
same  gap  in  the  picket  line,  returned,  and  hastily 
sketched  my  work,  so  that  I could  designate  posi- 
tions that  would  enfilade  their  lines  with  artillery.” 

Right  immediately  within  lines  which  Paine  in- 
spected, as  he  told  the  writer  [7,  8,  ’71],  i.  e.  within 
the  earthworks  in  front  of  Humphreys — the  Con- 
federate troops  were  in  good  normal  condition. 
Outside  ( i . e.  beyond)  these  lines,  back  and  around, 
many  troops  were  in  a broken-up  condition,  which 
showed  that  while  some  organizations  were  in  good 
order,  others  were  comparatively  demoralized. 

Col.  Paine  said  (21,  8,  ’71),  “Holding  intrench- 
ments  in  Humphreys’  front  and  vicinity  were  more 
than  8,000  men  seen  by  me,  and  I am  a pretty  good 
judge  of  numbers  ; and  yet  I did  not  examine  this 
line  to  any  considerable  distance,  as  it  was  in  timber. 
I was  on  Humphreys’  front  on  the  day  of  Lee’s  sur- 
render.” 

Colonel  Whittier,  in  his  letter  previously  quoted 
(Boston,  8th  Aug.  1871),  is  even  more  pointed  than 
Burns  or  Paine.  He  says  : 


APPENDIX  I. 


469 


“Immediately  after  the  surrender,  in  company 
with  Colonel  Bache,  of  General  Meade's  staff,  I rode 
into  the  enemy's  line.  I remember  Field's  Division  ; 
can't  call  to  mind  the  commanders  of  any  others — 
the  force  was  strong  for  the  extent  of  the  line  ; a 
breastwork  of  medium  strength  at  the  front  for  the 
pickets  and  two  lines  of  stronger  works  in  the  rear 
— there  being  a continuous  slight  acclivity  from 
their  front  to  rear  work. 

“ I thought  at  the  time  this  position  a pretty  strong 
one  against  any  front  attack— it  probably  could  have 
been  easily  turned — and  they  seemed  to  have  troops 
at  that  particular  point  to  impede  us  for  a 
while.”  * * * 

What  “particular  point?”  “Yes,  at  the  point 
where  they  could  be  turned  ( A.  A.  H.)  there  were 
Rebel  troops  ( en  potence)  posted  there  to  prevent 
their  right  from  being  flanked  or  taken  in  reverse.” 

Opposed  to  Sheridan  were  Gordon’s  troops,  ac- 
tually fighting  till  the  last  minute.  Of  these,  Devin 
speaks  as  “ the  enemy  advancing  in  two  heavy  lines 
of  battle.”  Crook  reports  first  a “ very  heavy  line  ; ” 
again,  “ a strong  attack  on  my  front  and  flanks  with 
a large  force  of  infantry,  while  their  cavalry  at- 
tacked my  rear ; again,  “overwhelming  numbers.” 
Custer  mentions  “two  divisions  of  infantry,  in  ad- 
dition to  over  thirty  pieces  of  artillery.”  Merritt 
corroborates  Crook  with  the  same  words,  “over- 
whelming numbers.” 

These  ai*e  Union  accounts.  Cooke,  the  Southern 
historian  and  biographer  of  Lee,  says,  Gordon’s 
“ own  force,  less  than  5,000  muskets,”  which  cer- 
tainly must  mean  between  4,000  and  5,000. 

Add  these  to  the  force  in  front  of  Humphreys, 

i 


470 


APPENDIX  I. 


and  we  have  double  the  number  of  those  said  to 
have  surrendered  in  arms. 

This  aggregate,  however,  is  not  yet  complete. 
Fitzhugh  Lee  and  Rosser,  with  the  Rebel  cavalry, 
made  their  escape  to  the  mountains  (Fletcher,  III., 
518-19).  Also,  according  to  the  author  of  “ Pick- 
ett’s Men  ” (172-3,  175),  a battalion  and  battery  of 
Pickett’s  Division  got  off  to  Lynchburg.  Undoubt- 
edly many  others  of  all  arms  made  their  escape 
secretly  when  it  was  found  that  Lee  was  actually 
treating  for  a definite  surrender.  This  they  might 
have  done  without  detection  through  the  gap  to  the 
northward,  which  was  un watched  by  Grant’s  troops. 

The  writer  can  never  be  brought  to  believe  that 
Lee  had  less  than  25,000  veterans — infantry,  cavalry 
and  artillery — men  tried  and  true,  ready  to  execute 
liis  will  down  to  the  very  minute  when  he  signed 
the  act  of  surrender — besides  those  who  got  off  or 
stole  off  and  very  numerous  stragglers. 

And  this  is  the  estimate  of  men  who  fought  it  out 
to  the  last  against  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia, 
generals  who  kept  the  run  of  every  day’s  occurrences, 
men  who  never  misrepresented,  whose  statements, 
however  disputed  at  the  time,  have  been  borne  out 
by  after  investigations  and  admissions. 

Take  the  example  of  Humphreys’  fight  on  the  5th 
February.  His  rough  estimate  of  the  force  opposed 
to  him,  and  its  composition,  was  completely  verified 
by  Gordon’s  own  admissions  to  Major-General  Mc- 
Allister ; and  yet  subordinate  Rebel  officers  claimed 
that  Humphreys  only  fought  brigades,  where  Gor- 
don conceded  divisions,  with  every  chance  in  their 
favor.  (Major-General  McAllister’s  Statement,  Citi- 
zen, 16,  9,  71.) 


APPENDIX  I. 


471 


LA  MORT  ! THE  VALLEY  OF  JEZREEL  ! 

“ I am  watching  for  the  morning  ; 

The  night  is  long  and  dreary. 

I have  waited  for  the  dawning 
Till  I am  sad  and  weary.” 

“ An  end  is  come,  the  end  is  come  ; it  watched  for  thee ; 
behold  it  is  come.  The  morning  is  come  unto  thee.”  * * * 
— Ezekiel  vii.  6,  7. 

“ And  the  end  thereof  shall  be  with  a flood,  and  unto  the  end 
of  the  war  desolations  are  determined.”— Daniel  ix.  i!6. 

In  consequence  of  the  difficulty  of  bringing  for- 
ward the  train  with  rations,  it  was  eight  o’clock, 
9th  April,  1865,  before  the  combined  Second-Third 
Corps  resumed  its  advance.  In  fact,  the  troops  had 
been  in  movement  pretty  much  the  whole  night, 
striving  to  gain  ground  in  spite  of  hindrances. 
Humphreys  actually  advanced  five  miles  during  the 
thick  night,  hoping  to  come  up  with  the  enemy  ; 
but  finding  his  men  falling  out  rapidly  through 
fasting  and  fatigue,  he  was  compelled  to  halt  his 
First  and  Second  Divisions  about  midnight.  His 
Third,  followed  by  the  supply  train,  did  not  begin 
to  arrive  until  about  4 a.  m.  (The  [Third]  Division 
was  not  up  until  4 a.  h.,  probably,  and  the  supply 
train  some  considerable  time  later,  perhaps  6 o’clock, 
or  even  later  before  it  was  all  up. — A.  A.  H.)  As 
soon  as  the  rations  could  be  issued  the  troops  moved 
forward  again  with  alacrity. 

It  is  broad  daylight  by  5 A.  M.  at  this  time  of  the 
year,  when  the  weather  is  clear,  as  the  writer  well 
knows,  as  he  has  often  seen  the  morning  break  after 
a night  spent  in  work  upon  this  pamphlet.  Colonel 
Paine  notes  in  his  diary  that  it  was  a “ beautiful, 


472 


APPENDIX  I. 


fine,  pleasant  Sabbath  morning.”  Richardson  (483) 
says  it  “ was  damp  and  foggy.”  This  involves  no 
contradiction,  for  there  is  often  fog  on  the  bottom- 
lands, when  it  is  perfectly  clear  upon  the  ridges. 
* * * As  at  Thrasimene  ! 

All  at  once,  three  or  four  miles  away  to  the  front, 
a vigorous  cannonade  and  interchanges  of  musketry, 
sounding  to  the  experienced  ear  like  a pin  drawn 
sharply  across  the  teeth  of  a.  comb,  only  a thousand 
times  louder,  in  thunder-crashes,  nigh  at  hand,  and 
duller  and  more  ominous  when  heard  at  a distance. 
Hearing  this,  every  one  shouted,  “ Sheridan  is  there  ! 
bully  for  Sheridan ! ” As  related  in  a previous 
chapter,  the  combined  Second-Third  Corps  had  sunk 
down  in  their  first  bivouacs  (8th-9th)  to  the  rough 
music  of  the  same  horse-batteries.  So  they  shouted 
with  knowledge.  It  was  the  last  convulsion  of  the 
Rebel  Army  in  its  death  throe ! its  condition,  what 
a contrast  to  the  season,  day,  and  weather,  and  the 
awakening  Sabbath  ! 

At  9 A.  M.  Humphreys  notifies  Webb  : “The  head 
of  my  column  is  now  about  (11)  one  and  ahalf  miles 
from  the  halting-place  (during  the  night)  and  near 
to  the  rear  of  the  enemy,  according  to  the  report  of 
a negro  who  came  from  Lynchburg  yesterday  morn- 
ing (Saturday,  8th  April).  Our  troops  were  then 
three  miles  from  Lynchburg.  He  passed  through 
Appomattox  Court  House  about  sunset.  The  fight- 
ing there  was  then  going  on.  It  was  resumed  this 
morning  and  is  still  continuing.  About  daylight  he 
passed  the  last  of  the  enemy,  and  then  lay  in  the 
woods  some  time,  coming  in  to  us  when  he  thought 
it  was  safe.  He  was  told  as  he  passed  through  Lee’s 
army  that  the  troops  would  move  again  about  mid- 


APPENDIX  I 473 

night  (8th-9th  April).  We  are  about  (10)  ten  miles 
from  Appomattox  Court  House.” 

Few  questions  caused  greater  trouble  than  the 
discovery  of  what  Union  troops  this  negro  could 
have  referred  to.  No  applications  to  headquarters 
furnished  any  satisfactory  clue  ; but  on  turning  to 
the  Army  and  Navy  Journal,  of  the  22d  April,  1865, 
it  appears  from  Major-General  Stoneman’s  report 
that  it  was  a portion  of  his  command.  “ Major  Wag- 
ner, after  striking  the  railroad  at  Big  Lick,  pushed 
1 on  toward  Lynchburg,  destroying  on  his  way  the 
important  bridges  over  the  Big  and  Little  Otter, 
and  got  to  within  four  miles  of  Lynchburg.”  This 
is  confirmed  by  Major-General  Cullum  in  his  “ Bio- 
graphical Register,”  II.,  162,  § 1304,  wherein  he 
states  that  Stoneman  was  engaged  in  the  “ Destruc- 
tion of  the  Lynchburg  and  Bristol  Railroad,  April 
3-7,  1865”  (compare  the  “ Last  Ninety  Days  of  the 
War,”  p.  197).  This  exactly  corroborates  the 
statement  which  the  negro  fugitive  made  to  Hum- 
phreys. 

At  11  A.  M.  the  combined  Second-Third  Corps 
came  up  with  the  enemy’s  skirmishers,  in  front  of 
the  entrenched  position,  hereinbefore  described. 
Up  to  this  hour,  if  not  an  hour  later,  Lee  had  been 
in  command  in  Humphreys’  front.  When  news 
came  to  him  that  Gordon’s  attempt  had  failed,  Lee 
mounted  his  horse  and  started  for  the  rear,  saying, 
“ General  Longstreet,  I leave  you  in  charge  ; I am 
going  to  hold  a conference  with  General  Grant.” 
(Richardson,  483.) 

Finding  the  Rebels  in  force,  in  defensible  pos- 
itions, and  strongly  entrenched,  Humphreys  made 
immediate  dispositions  for  a fight,  if  fight  there  was 


47i 


APPENDIX  I. 


to  be.  They  were  as  follows  : Humphreys’  right, 
his  First  (Miles’)  Division  (old  Second  Corps),  was 
d cheval  (or  astraddle)  the  Plank  and  Turnpike  Road, 
with  one  brigade  in  line  to  the  right  or  north  of  it, 
and  one  to  the  left  or  south  of  it,  while  the  other 
brigade  was  in  column  to  the  north  of  the  road, 
supporting  Miles’  right.  The  Second  (Barlow’s) 
Division  (old  Second  Corps)  on  the  left,  was  disposed 
in  the  same  manner,  having  two  brigades  deployed 
in  the  front  line  and  a third  in  reserve  opposite  the 
centre  and  the  interval  between  them.  His  Third 
(de  Trobriand's)  Division  (old  Third  Corps)  also  pre- 
sented two  brigades  deployed  in  the  front  line,  and 
one  in  support  to  the  rear  of  the  centre  interval  of 
the  first  line  of  battle  of  the  corps. 

Accordingly  (says  deTrobriand,  II.,  481)  our  divis- 
ion was  massed  to  the  right  and  left  of  the  road. 
Half  an  hour  afterwards  the  troops  were  notified 
that  the  truce  had  been  prolonged  up  till  2 P.  M.  As 
the  watch  hands  pointed  to  the  hour  of  two  the  Old 
Third  commenced  to  move  forward  again,  but  the 
First  Brigade,  wearing  the  Red  Diamond  Badge,  or 
“ patch,”  had  not  advanced  a hundred  yards  when 
a new  order  directed  it  to  halt.  Before  the  Union 
troops  stretched  a thin  curtain  of  wood.  Beyond 
this  an  open  space  alone  separated  the  “ blue  coats  ” 
from  the  “gray-backs  ” whose  pickets  remained  per- 
fectly quiet.  This  locality  is  known  on  the  map 
which  the  writer  lias  examined  as  Clover  Hill.  On 
pointing  this  out  to  Colonel  Paine,  he  stated  (21,  8, 
71 ) that,  this  name  is  applied  to  a cleared  elevation  to 
the  left  (i.  e.  S.)  of  Humphreys’  front  and  somewhat 
in  advance,  i.  e.W.  of  it — i.  e.  S.  W.  of  Humphreys’ 
left.  Scarcely  two  maps  agree  as  to  the  position  of 


APPENDIX  I. 


475 


“Clover  Hill,-’  and  the  Secretary  of  War’s  map 
makes  Appomattox  Court  House  and  Clover  Hill 
synonymous.  (See  Bates’  History  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteers,  ii.,  TOG.) 

If  the  map  first  cited  and  Brevet  Col.  W.  H.  Paine 
are  correct,  there  is  a curious  significance  in  this. 
The  official  badge  of  the  combined  Second-Third 
Corps  was  a Trefoil,  or  Three-leaved  Clover ; and 
now  it  was  the  badge  of  a commander  whom  the 
Third  Corps  honors  as  honest,  impartial,  true  ; in 
every  sense  one  of  themselves.  That  which  some  of 
them  might  deny  to  his  next  two  predecessors — to 
the  first  from  one  motive,  to  the  second  from  an- 
other— all  would  willingly  concede  to  Humphreys. 
There  are  many  other  curious  unions  of  the  two 
symbols,  the  Diamond  of  the  Third  and  the  Trefoil 
of  the  Second  Corps.  Napier,  in  his  “ History  of 
Florence,”  alludes  to  one,  and  another  might  be 
cited.  When  the  Medici,  especially  Giuliano,  the 
real  Penseroso  of  Michael  Angelo,  formed  two  com- 
panies of  youths  to  associate  these  Florence  youths 
in  friendly  [manly]  games  and  exercises,  he  joined 
those  wearing  the  badge  “ il  Diamante  ” (the  Dia- 
mond) and  “ il  Broncome"  (the  Branch,  or  Trefoil). 
The  last  array  in  arms  of  the  Trefoil  or  Tliree-leaved 
Clover  (and  the  Diamond)  was  thus  curiously  made 
on  the  field  on  Lee's  surrender,  “ Clover  Hill,”  and 
in  front  of  Lee’s  “peculiars”  was  the  Diamond 
Badge.  Diamonds  were  trumps  ! 

It  is  another  fact  that  Colonel  Whittier,  A.  A.  G. 
on  Humphreys’ staff,  makes  “ this  claim,  that  the 
last  hostile  bullet  fired  by  the  army  of  Northern 
Virginia  was  at  me,’’  an  old  combined  Second-Third 
Corps  man. 


476 


APPENDIX  I. 


LA  RETRAITE  PRISE  ! AD  LEONEM  ! 

Thus  the  organized  and  more  or  less  disorganized 
constituents  of  Lee’s  command  were  completely 
enveloped.  “The  once  proud  array  of  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia  now  presented  this  sorry  spec- 
tacle,” &c.,  &c.  (Swinton,  619.)  It  is  impossible  to 
comprehend  why  Northern  writers  will  seek  to  de- 
preciate the  number  and  condition  of  this  Rebel 
Army,  to  lessen  their  own  people's  triumph,  and 
glorify  the  enemy,  as  bitter  and  unforgiving  in  their 
enmity  as  ever.  It  has  been  herein  stated  that  one 
of  our  major-generals  present  at  the  surrender  cal- 
culated that  Lee  still  had,  on  the  8th-9th  April,  from 
30,000  to  40,000  men.  Although  this  has  been  gone 
into  quite  fully  on  previous  pages,  the  following 
calculations  from  Richardson’s  tables  (491-492), 
“ compiled  from  the  official  reports,”  are  worthy  of 
consideration.  He  says  that  Lee’s  “ effective  force, 
on  the  20th  March,  1865,  must  have  been  fully  70,000 
men.”  Two  chiefs  of  staff,  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
and  one  corps  commander,  all  three  agree  about  as 
to  this  estimate.  Lee  lost  at  Fort  Steedman,  25th 
March,  2,783,  and  from  the  29th  of  March  to  the  9th 
April,  18,979,  together  21,762.  This  leaves  58,238. 
Of  these,  “ Two  brigades  of  his  cavalry  escaped  be- 
fore his  surrender;  ” likewise,  according  to  “ Pickett’s 
Men”  (172-173,  175),  a battalion,  and  certainly  one 
battery  of  artillery,  which  got  off  to  Lynchburg. 
How  many  more  escaped  ? “No  one  familiar  with 
armies  in  the  field  will  need  to  be  told  that  the  num- 
ber of  stragglers  on  such  a campaign  must  have  been 
very  large.  Ten  thousand  men  seems  to  be  a moder- 
ate estimate  for  the  stragglers  and  the  two  brigades 


APPENDIX  I. 


477 


of  cavalry.  This  leaves  in  round  numbers  48,000 
effectives.  Concede  8,000  killed  and  wounded,  and 
there  remain  40,000.  Still  there  is  one  element  of 
strength  which  has  not  been  credited  to  Lee.  On 
abandoning  Petersburg-Richmond,  Lee  dragged  off 
with  him  every  military  organization,  local  or  other- 
wise ; so  that  our  major-general,  after  all,  may  have 
been  nearer  the  truth  than  any  one  else.  But,  taking 
the  other  view  of  the  case  and  conceding  that  Lee 
had  not  over  8,000  to  10,000  men  “ up  to  the  mark  ” 
in  fighting  condition,  then  no  one  possessed  the  right, 
in  justice  to  the  North,  to  accord  the  terms  on  the 
9th,  which  were  even  too  lenient  for  the  7th  or  even 
for  the  3d  April.  Some  men  ought  to  have  been 
made  examples  of,  and,  from  the  following  extracts 
from  the  Aimy  and  Navy  Journal  [ii.  545  (2)],  it 
would  seem  to  the  writer  that  the  Tribune,  in  pub- 
lishing the  remarks  in  IT  2,  must  have  held  different 
views  at  that  time  from  those  since  and  at  present 
held  by  its  senior  editor. 

When,  however,  it  was  known  how  completely 
the  enemy  had  been  in  our  power,  some  of  the  troops 
were  a little  distressed  at  the  magnanimity  of  the 
terms  offered. 

“ An  Associated  Press  dispatch  of  the  12th  says  : 

(1)  “ The  final  arrangements  for  the  surrender  of 
Lee’s  army  were  completed  yesterday,  and  to-day 
they  are  at  liberty  to  proceed  to  their  homes,  or  else- 
where, as  they  choose.  The  terms  granted  were  cer- 
tainly of  a very  liberal  character.  A large  number 
of  officers,  together  with  thousands  of  the  men  of 
this  army,  express  their  dissatisfaction,  not  only  at 
the  unprecedented  liberality  granted  to  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia, 'but  at  the  manner  in  which  they 


478 


APPENDIX  1. 


were  paroled  and  allowed  to  go  their  way,  without 
our  men  being  permitted  to  enjoy  the  results  of  their 
long  struggle  in  the  passage  through  the  lines  of 
Genei’al  Lee  and  his  army  ; but  it  is  claimed  that 
this  would  have  been  humiliating  to  General  Lee  and 
his  officers,  and  that  it  is  not  the  wish  or  desire  of 
our  government  or  commanders  to  act  toward  them 
in  any  way  that  would  tend  to  irritate  their  feelings 
or  make  their  position  more  intolerable  than  it 
actually  is.  The  policy  pursued  may  have  been  for 
the  best,  and  our  soldiers  will  submit,  as  they  always 
do,  to  what  is  judged  most  wise.  During  Sunday 
night  and  Monday  large  numbers  of  the  Rebels,  as 
well  as  some  of  the  officers,  made  their  escape  from 
the  lines  and  scattered  through  the  woods,  many  no 
doubt  intending  to  return  home.  Our  camps  last 
night  were  filled  with  them,  ([^“begging  something 
to  eat,  which,  of  course,  was  freely  given.  These 
men,  when  asked  if  they  had  been  paroled,  invariably 
replied,  “ No  ; but  we  are  allowed  to  go  where  we 
please.”=iiE]3 

“ A letter  to  the  Tribune  on  the  same  subject  says : 

(2)  “ The  intelligence  that  negotiations  were  pend- 
ing on  Saturday  for  the  surrender  of  the  enemy  was 
hailed  with  joyful  demonstrations  by  our  men,  but 
when  the  terms  of  the  capitulation  became  known 
their  feelings  were  those  of  disappointment  and 
chagrin.  Ewell,  Pickett  and  several  other  officers  of 
distinction,  deserters  from  the  United  States  service 
at  the  beginning  of  the  war,  it  was  claimed,  had  no 
right  to  expect  the  treatment  accorded  their  more 
honorable  brethren  in  Rebellion.  J[3grThe  brutal 
murder  of  the  thirty-nine  men  hung  by  Pickett  in 
North  Carolina,  is  still  remembered  and  still  awakens 


APPENDIX  I. 


479 


a spirit  of  resentment  among  the  men.^JcU  No 
formal  surrender  took  place,  and  our  troops  were 
consequently  not  gratified  with  a sight  of  the  ragged 
remnants  of  Lee’s  once  great  and  formidable  army, 
except  as  they  confronted  each  other  in  battle.  Both 
armies  lay  hidden  from  each  other,  for  the  most  part 
in  dense  woods,  and  although  many  of  our  men 
afterward  straggled  into  the  enemy’s  camps,  they 
were  not  favored  by  the  coveted  glimpse  of  the 
whole  strength  of  Lee  massed  in  a compact  body.” 

That  the  enemy  were  in  the  woods,  is  corroborated 
by  Paine  (31,  8,  71):  “ Humphreys’  last  stand  was 
in  a piece  of  open  ground,  the  enemy  were  sheltered 
[as  usual]  in  the  timber  ! ” “ Before  us,”  are  de 

Trobriand's  words  (II.,  383),  “beyond  a thin  cur- 
tain of  woods  stretched  an  open  space,  which  alone 
separated  us  from  the  enemy's  pickets,  which  did 
not  budge.”  This  locality  is  styled  “Clover  Hill.” 
The  United  States  Engineer  maps  show  dense  woods 
in  every  direction  in  front  of  Humphreys. 

For  Lee’s  forces,  however — were  they  more  or  less 
numerous — “ the  toils  were  set  and  the  ‘ Stag  of 
Ten’  (La  Royale!)  was  to  die  at  bay.”  Stopped  in 
front  to  their  left  by  Sheridan's  cavalry,  backed  by 
the  infantry  of  the  Army  of  the  James,  they  were 
shut  in  upon  their  right  or  north  flank  by  the  Fifth 
Corps  (see  extracts  from  reports,  Citizen , 16th  and 
33d  December,  1871),  with  their  rear  closely  pressed 
by  the  combined  Second-Third  Corps,  supported  by 
the  Sixth  Corps,  which  had  gradually  closed  up  and 
was  now  in  contact,  and  finally  brought  to  a stand 
by  the  obstacle  of  the  Appomattox  River,  whose 
elbow  put  an  effectual  barrier  on  the  W.  and  W. 
by  N.,  the  only  possible  avenue  of  escape  [Army 


480 


APPENDIX  I. 


and  Navy  Journal,  ii.  569(3)]  towards  the  goal  of 
Lynchburg,  now  less  than  twenty-one  miles  distant 
in  the  same  direction. 

Gordon  had  received  imperative  orders  to  cut  his 
way  through  (examine  a curious  coincidence,  II. 
Kings,  iii.,  26)  Sheridan’s  cavalry  by  a supreme 
effort  of  despair.  He  made  his  desperate  dash, 
thinking  he  had  only  cavalry  in  his  front.  His 
attack  was  made  with  all  the  wonted  Rebel  fire. 
The  cavalry,  who  had  dismounted  to  arrest  his 
plunge — like  that  of  a bull  upon  a picador  in  the  am- 
phitheatre— had  to  give  ground.  Then  our  troopers 
were  drawn  aside  like  the  front-sliding  scene  in  a 
theatre,  revealing  the  unexpected  presence  of  our 
blue-coated  infantry.* 

[*  There  are  numerous  instances  of  this  masking  of  infantry, 
the  strength  of  an  army,  with  cavalry,  to  delude  and  induce  an 
attack.  Cassius,  in  the  Parthian  War  (“  Military  Ends  and 
Moral  Means,"  271,  272,  &c.),  having  ranged  his  cavalry  in  a 
front  line,  with  his  infantry  in  a second  line  behind  them  ; then, 
by  the  sudden  retiring  of  his  cavalry,  drew  the  Parthians  into 
the  snare  which  he  had  prepared  for  them.  At  Wattignies, 
Jourdain  masked  the  presence  of  field  pieces  with  infantry. 
The  footmen  “ skillfully  wheeling  back  portions  of  their  line  to 
allow  the  light  battery  to  fire  ” through  the  intervals  thus 
opened.  The  Spaniards  used  such  an  identical  maneuver  in 
street  fighting  against  the  Hollanders  in  the  sixteenth  century ; 
and  Henry  IV.,  in  one  of  the  combats  preliminary  to  or  near 
Arques,  in  1589,  employed  a similar  stratagem . Having  masked 
two  heavy  couleuvrines  (16  pounders  ?)  with  cavalry,  he  in- 
vited a charge  of  the  Chevaliers  of  the  Duke  de  Mayenne,  who, 
when  they  expected  to  encounter  only  horsemen,  like  them- 
selves, were  astonished  to  see  the  opposing  ranks  open  and 
found  themselves  overwhelmed  with  an  artillery  fire.  This  new 
and  prompt  method  of  employing  heavy  artillery  is  said  to  have 
been  the  idea  of  a Norman  naval  gunner,  named  Charles  Brise, 
who,  after  long  service  at  sea,  brought  his  varied  experience  to 
the  aid  of  the  King  of  Navarre.  Anchor.] 


APPENDIX  I. 


481 


***** 

The  result  was  a perfect  theatrical  winding-up. 
It  paralyzed  the  Rebels.  They  caved  in  at  once ! 
The  end  had  come  ! Meanwhile  Sheridan’s  troopers, 
with  uplifted  sabres,  were  only  awaiting  the  trum- 
pet-blast to  spur  in  and  drown  out  the  Rebellion  in 
its  own  best  blood.  Each  horseman  grasped  his 
sabre  with  the  determination  of  Custer,  or  of  Alp  in 
Byron’s  “Siege  of  Corinth.” 

* * * * * 

Any  one  who  takes  a sufficient  interest  in  the 
truth  and  will  compare  Paine’s  Field  Map,  as  re- 
duced in  Harper’s  “ History  of  the  Great  Rebellion,” 
and  several  other  narratives  of  the  Union  Civil  War, 
will  be  convinced — despite  all  the  mystification,  in- 
tentional or  unintentional,  with  which  partial,  in- 
terested or  prejudiced  pens  have  invested  or  involved 
the  story — that  Humphreys,  with  his  combined 
Second-Third  Corps,  was  the  chief  agent  in  the 
happy  result  of  this  festival.  They  it  was,  and  his 
“tried  and  true,”  who  all  the  time  clung  to  Lee’s 
army,  proper,  and  while  suffering  as  much,  if  not 
more,  than  any  other  corps  or  arm,  so  impeded  his 
retreat  by  their  very  weight — as  a sail  towing  behind 
a clipper  frigate  clogs  her  way  and  enables  a duller 
squadron  to  overhaul  her — and  hourly  harassed  it, 
so  as  to  enable  the  cavalry,  the  Fifth  Corps,  the 
Twenty-fourth  Corps  and  Twenty-fifth  Corps  to 
finally  head  off  the  enemy  at  Appomattox  Station 
and  Court  House. 

* * * * * 

Following  Lee  step  by  step,  never  losing  trace  of 
him,  even  if  temporarily  losing  sight  of  him,  hitting 
31 


482 


APPENDIX  I. 


him,  pressing  him  with  bayonet  in  his  reins ; thus, 
for  seventy-six  hours,  and  a distance  of  sixty  to 
seventy  miles,  Humphreys  never  let  him  slip  away. 
Finally,  where  do  we  find  Humphreys  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  9th  April  ? At  New  Hope  Church,  near 
Appomattox  Court  House,  confronting  on  this  sunny 
— sunny  in  every  point  of  view — Sabbath  morning, 
the  bone  and  sinew  of  the  remaining  organizations 
of  Lee’s  old  army.  New  Hope  Church  ! — title  of 
happy  omen  for  us — “ Devil’s  Creek,”  to  the  north, 
overcome  and  passed  “ by  queer  coincidence”  of 
nomenclature — and  “Pleasant  Retreat !”  about  as 
inappropriate  a term  for  Lee’s  situation  at  this  time 
as  well  could  be  imagined.  These  he,  Humphreys, 
now  supported  by  Wright,  held  so  tightly,  pressed! 
so  closely,  that  Lee  could  not  have  strengthened 
Gordon  to  operate  against  the  Fifth  Corps,  the  Army 
of  the  James  and  the  cavalry,  however  much  he 
might  have  been  so  minded. 

Without  exaggeration,  was  there  anything  like 
Humphreys’  prescient  advance,  persistent  pressure, 
unrelaxing  pursuit  or  incessant  combat,  exemplified 
on  any  other  previous  occasion  during  the  war  ? 
***** 

Why  the  popular  mind  has  been  so  beclouded,  and 
why  the  conspicuous  merits  of  the  man  and  his  men 
have  been  so  lost  sight  of,  is  one  of  those  curious 
questions  affecting  the  popular  distribution  of 
military  credit  in  this  country,  that  can  only  be  ex- 
plained by  the  willingness  of  the  general  public  to 
accept  the  flowery  in  diction,  and  the  superficial  in 
examination,  for  the  less  elegant,  but  infinitely  more 
precious  results  of  investigation  and  close  compari- 
son of  facts  ; which  last  are  absolutely  inseparable 


APPENDIX  I.  483 

from  true  military  criticism  and  the  enduring  com- 
mentaries of  war. 

***** 

THE  ARMY  OF  NORTHERN  VIRGINIA  SURRENDERED  ! 
The  white  flag  appeared  ! General  Grant  received 
a message  from  Lee  requesting  an  interview,  which 
was  granted,  and  the  two  generals  repaired  to  the 
neat  brick  dwelling  of  William  or  Wilmer  McLean, 
at  Appomattox  Court  House. 

The  memorable  interview  between  Generals  Grant 
and  Lee  took  place  a little  after  2 P.  M.,  in  the 
“town”  of  Appomattox  Court  House.  The  town, 
according  to  description,  had  little  indeed  to  recom- 
mend it  for  the  scene  of  so  great  an  event  as  the 
pacification  of  a continent.  It  might  boast,  indeed, 
its  public  building,  the  Court  House,  but  it  consisted 
solely  of  one  street,  and  one  end  of  that  was  boarded 
up  to  keep  the  cattle  out.  Such  was  the  little  place 
upon  which  fame,  for  centuries  to  come,  was  sud- 
denly thrust,  this  Sunday  afternoon,  9th  April,  1865. 
The  best  house  in  the  street  was  lent  for  the  occasion 
by  its  owner,  Mr.  Wilmer  McLean.  It  is  an  old- 
fashioned  structure,  with  a long  verandah  in  its 
front  and  a flight  of  steps  leading  up  to  the  entrance 
thereon.  “Appomattox  Court  House  boasted  five 
dwellings.  The  largest— a square  building  of  brick, 
with  a yard  smiling  with  roses,  violets  and  daffodils 
— belonging  to  one  Wilmer  McLean.” 

Lossing  states  that  this  McLean  resided  in  a dwell- 
ing on  a portion  of  the  first  battlefield  of  the  war, 
between  the  Confederate  “ Army  of  Northern  Vir- 
ginia,” under  Beauregard,  and  the  Union  “ Army  of 
North-eastern  Virginia ’’—under  the  accomplished 
but  unlucky  McDowell — which  was  the  nucleus  or 


484 


APPENDIX  I. 


embryo  of  the  ‘'Army  of  the  Potomac/’  Beaure- 
gard had  his  headquarters  in  McLean’s  house,  which 
was  situated  to  the  right  or  south  of  the  Centreville 
road,  about  equidistant  from  Mitchell’s,  Blackburn’s 
and  McLean’s  Fords.  McLean,  having  seen  enough, 
as  he  thought,  of  war,  removed  to  a spot  whereto  he 
was  confident  war  could  never  come,  but  whither 
the  fighting  did  come,  after  a lapse  of  three  years 
and  nearly  nine  months,  in  its  circle  of  blood  and 
fire.  And  now,  on  this  bright  Sunday,  9th  April, 
1865,  his  household  gods  were  tottering  to  the  roar 
of  the  same  fire-throats  which  had  shaken  them  on 
the  other  sultry  battle  Sabbath,  21st  July,  1861. 

If  McLean  had  delved  into  the  earliest  English 
dramatists,  he  may  have  had  lines  of  worthy  Chris- 
topher Marlow  on  his  lips  : 

“ The  northern  borderers,  seeing  their  houses  burned, 

* * * Run  up  and  down  cursing ” 

the  hour  ‘ ‘ he  lent  ” his  house,  the  ‘ ‘ best  on  the  street ,” 
“ for  the  occasion  ” ; for,  if  Richardson  (484)  is  correct, 
he  “ was  moving  wildly  about,  nearly  driven  out  of 
his  senses  by  the  great  events  of  the  day,”  and  the 
subsequent  forcible  purchase  of  his  furniture.  (Ibid. , 
485-6.) 

This  “ circle  of  events  ” presents  a curious  coinci- 
dence, but  more  curious  than  many  others  which 
incontestably  prove  that  there  is  no  escaping  Schich- 
sal,  “the  inevitable” — the  “ Fortune  or  Chance”  of 
Catherine  de  Medici,  Turenne  and  Suwarrow  ; the 
“ chance  or  good  luck  ” of  the  astute  observer,  Mon- 
taigne; the  “ lot”  and  “ chance” of  Proverbs  and  Ec- 
clesiastes ; the  ‘ ‘ Fate  ” of  the  Romans  and  the  Greeks , 


APPENDIX  I. 


485 


the  “ Accident  ” of  the  scoffer  and  unbeliever  ; the 
“Providence”  of  the  devout;  but,  in  very  truth , 
immutable  (or  ‘ unflexible  ’)  Law,”  the  unalterable 
decree  of  the  God  of  Battles  and  the  Lord  of  Hosts. 
As  Sir  Walter  Scott  observed  : “ Fortune  will  fly  ' 

her  flight,  let  man  hallo  himself  hoarse.”  Indeed,  it 
is  true.  “ Man  denkt,  Gottlenkt ,”  “ Man  proposes  and 
God  disposes  ; ” or,  as  the  Tuscan  reads,  “ Luomo  tepe, 
ela  Fortuna  trama,”  “ Man  sets  the  woof  and  Fort  une 
throws  the  warp.”  This  acknowledged  fact  runs 
through  all  time  and  teaching.  Lord  Karnes  says, 

“ a delusive  sense  of  liberty  is  wisely  implanted  in 
the  mind  of  man,  which  fits  him  to  fulfil  the  ends  of 
action  to  better  advantage  than  he  could  do,  if  he 
knew  the  necessity  which  really  attends  him.” 

Some  of  the  names  of  the  battlefields,  even,  are 
significant,  and  not  the  least  so  is  the  fact  that  this 
surrender  occurred  on  Palm  Sunday.  Palm  Sunday 
is  the  next  before  Easter,  the  beginning  of  the  “ Great 
Week,”  the  “Holy  Week,”  when  the  “Prince  of 
Peace  ” made  his  triumphant  entry  into  the  “ pos- 
session or  inheritance  of  peace,”  for  such  is  the  transla- 
tion of  the  word  Jerusalem,  the  multitude  strewing 
his  path  with  branches.  How  appropriate  the  surren- 
der on  this  Palm  Sunday,  9th  April,  1865,  when  a 
“ chosen  people,”  in  arms,  entered  through  the 
gate  of  victory  into  the  possession  of  peace,  which 
they  had  purchased  with  half  a million  of  lives  and 
an  expenditure  of  money  almost  appalling  in  its  ag- 
gregate of  public  outlay  and  private  munificence. 

As  soon  as  General  Grant  accorded  this  meeting  to 
Lee,  an  order  was  promulgated  (Paine’s  Diary) 
suspending  hostilities  for  an  hour. 


486 


APPENDIX  I. 


“ Our  skirmishers  are  within  range  of  the  rearguard 
of  the  enemy.  The  enemy  lias  developed  a picket 
line,  which  indicates  a stand.” 

“Sunday,  9th  April,  12.20.  A cessation  of  hos- 
tilities, proposed  by  General  Lee,  was  rejected  by 
General  Meade,  who  was  still  pressing  on,  when 
word  came  that  a truce  of  one  hour  was  granted  by 
General  Sheridan,  to  which  General  Meade  submit- 
ted. General  Forsythe  came  from  General  L , 

through  the  enemy’s  lines,  under  a flag  of  truce.” 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Colonel  Paine  was  on 
Humpln-eys’  front  on  the  eventful  day  up  to  noon  ; 
Lee  himself  had  been  with  the  troops  confronting 
the  combined  Second-Third  Corps — all  that  remained 
of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  except  Gordon’s 
command,  in  contact  with  Sheridan,  Ord  and  Griffin 
— nearly  or  full}'  up  to  the  same  hour,  12  M. 

When,  in  the  course  of  the  morning  (9th)  Hum- 
phreys' troops  began  to  overtake  Lee,  the  Rebel  gen- 
eral sent  to  Humphreys  at  least  two  earnest  requests 
(verbal)  by  a staff  officer  and  flag  of  truce,  not  to 
press  forward  upon  him  but  to  halt ; that  negotia- 
tions were  going  on  for  a surrender.  Humphreys 
did  not  deem  himself  authorized  to  comply  with 
Lee’s  request,  since  he  had  not  received  such  in- 
formations and  authority  from  General  Meade  or 
from  General  Grant  as  would  sanction  it,  and  so 
replied  to  General  Lee,  and  continued  to  press  for- 
ward. Humphreys  was  at  the  head  of  the  column. 
When  the  request  was  made  the  last  time,  Lee’s 
staff  officer  was  very  urgent,  so  urgent  that  Hum- 
phreys had  to  send  him  word  twice  that  the  request 
could  not  be  complied  with,  and  that  he  must  with- 
draw from  the  ground  at  once.  Pie  was  in  full  sight 


APPENDIX  I. 


487 


on  the  road,  a hundred  yards  distant  from  Hum- 
phreys. (The  ground  was  wooded.)  As  soon  as 
Humphreys’  staff  officer  reached  him,  Humphreys 
himself  began  to  ride  forward.  A mile  beyond 
this,  as  the  skirmishers  of  the  combined  Second- 
Third  Corps,  were  closing  in  on  Lee’s — the  Union 
troops  being  within  fighting  distance — Meade  over- 
took Humphreys,  and  soon  after  informed  him  that 
a truce  had  been  granted  until  a certain  hour  of  the 
day.  (2  p.  M.,  Reb.  Rec.  XI.,  643,  1.)  At  this 
time,  according  to  Meade’s  report,  the  combined 
Second-Third  Corps  were  within  three  miles  of  Ap- 
pomattox Court  House,  to  the  eastward.  Humphreys 
remained  on  the  line  of  battle  near  the  road  with 
his  staff  about  him,  and  as  the  hour  for  the  termina- 
tion of  the  truce  approached,  he  took  out  his  watcli 
and  held  it  in  his  hand.  Exactly  as  the  hands 
pointed  to  the  hour  of  2 P.  M.,  Humphreys  mounted 
and  gave  the  order  to  advance  ; but  his  troops  had 
scarcely  moved  “twenty  paces,”  or  “ one  hundred 
yards,”  when  a message  from  General  Meade  in- 
formed him  that  the  truce  had  been  extended 
“ until  further  orders,”  and  he  halted  the  corps  in  the 
position  marked  on  the  United  States  Engineer  Map, 
“Appomattox  Court  House,’’ close  up  against  Lee. 
Before  long  the  notice  of  the  surrender  of  Lee  was 
received,  and  lie  had  to  issue  orders  at  once  to  the 
skirmishers,  now  become  pickets,  to  prevent  his 
officers  and  men  from  passing  over  into  Lee’s  camps. 

While  the  conditions  of  the  surrender  were  under 
discussion,  the  troops  became  impatient,  and  im- 
patience grew  to  a fever  heat.  The  soldiers — who, 
as  a rule,  always  saw  farther  than  the  run  of  the 


4S3 


APPENDIX  I. 


leaders,  whom  policy,  not  propriety,  had  given  them 
— deemed  that  the  delay  was  only  another  Confed- 
erate stratagem  to  throw  us  off  our  guard  ; that  un- 
derneath the  color  of  treating,  Lee  intended  to  play 
us  an  Antietam  trick.  “ Let  us  finish  up  the  matter,” 
they  cried,  “ before  night  comes  on  again.  If  they 
do  not  intend  to  surrender,  let  us  go  in  at  once.” 

“Our  troops  were  just  commencing  to  advance 
again  (reads  Paine’s  Diary),  when  they  were  again 
halted  by  authority  from  General  Grant.  It  was 
during  this  truce  that  General  Lee  surrendered,  of 
which  we  were  soon  apprised  (a  memento  of  which 
I secured  by  tearing  a strip  from  the  lower  edge  of 
the  white  cloth  which  served  as  a flag  of  truce, 
which  the  bearer  allowed  to  trail  while  he  was  rest- 
ing, partially  asleep).  General  Meade,  not  feeling 
well  to-day,  was  in  his  carriage  at  the  front,  but  was 
obliged  to  return  on  horseback,  the  road  was  so 
crowded  with  troops.  An  officer  had  just  passed 
down  the  road  announcing  the  surrender,  as  Gen- 
eral Meade  passed,  followed  by  his  staff  ; every  one 
crowded  forward,  leaving  scarcely  room  for  the 
horses  to  pass,  jeopardizing  their  lives  and  limbs, 
cheering,  and  making  the  most  frantic  demonstra- 
tions of  joy.” 

All  at  once  a tempest  of  hurrahs  shivered  the  air 
along  our  front.  “Lee  has  surrendered  ! ” With- 
out having  actually  distinguished  the  words,  the 
whole  Union  army,  present,  comprehended  their  im- 
port. The  wildest  acclamations  rolled  like  peals  of 
thunder  over  the  field,  through  the  woods,  along  the 
road,  echoed  and  re-echoed,  prolonged  in  solemn 
mutterings  of  hurrahs  among  the  trains  which  fol- 
lowed, at  a distance,  the  Sixth  Corps.  Hats  and 


APPENDIX  I. 


489 


caps  filled  the  air.  The  flags  waved  and  saluted, 
unfurling  to  the  caresses  of  the  winds  their  tattered 
fragments,  glorious  attestations  and  relics  of  nearly 
four  years  of  battle,  of  over  a hundred  first-class 
stricken  fields — 

“ Flag  of  the  brave  ! thy  folds  shall  fly. 

The  sign  of  Hope  and  Triumph,  high  1 ” 

“ There  shall  thy  Victor  glances  glow, 

And  cowering  foes  shall  sink  beneath 
Each  gallant  arm  that  strikes  below 
The  lovely  Messenger  of  Death  ! ” 

and  all  the  bands  poured  forth  to  heaven — which 
answered  with  the  sympathetic  smile  of  unclouded 
sunshine — their  accompaniments  of  rejoicing,  either 
in  the  lively  notes  of  “ Yankee  Doodle  ” or  the 
majestic  strains  of  “ Hail  Columbia.” 

“ The  wildest  excitement  prevailed  (Paine’s  Diary 
again)  ; every  one  was  cheering  to  the  extent  of  his 
power.  Every  band  was  playing  its  loudest,  drum 
corps  vieing  with  each  other,  while  artillery  lent  its 
aid.  The  very  horses  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the 
occasion  and  pranced  proudly.  Flags  waved,  hats, 
haversacks  and  canteens  were  raised  on  muskets  or 
thrown  along  the  route  of  the  general  and  staff. 
Trees  and  fences  were  climbed  along  the  route,  and 
in  the  most  perilous  positions  were  soldiers,  and, 
even  on  horseback,  officers  were  seen  embracing 
each  other  in  delirium  of  joy  ; nor  did  this  decrease 
in  intensity  until  the  General  had  passed  through 
the  whole  line  and  gone  to  his  camp,  when  the 
demonstration  became  less  concentrated,  but  still 


490 


APPENDIX  I. 


pervaded  the  whole  army,  and  was  lost  only  in  the 
darkness  of  the  night.” 

“ On  the  evening  of  the  8th  April  and  morning  of 
the  9th,”  to  quote  a letter  (29,  8,  ’71)  of  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Schoonover,  commanding  the  11th  New  Jer- 
sey Volunteers — “ the  air  was  full  of  rumors  about 
the  surrender  of  Lee  and  his  army.  Flags  of  truce 
had  been  passed  back  and  forth.  We  were  moving 
slowly  along  on  the  morning  of  the  9th,  when  the 
column  was  suddenly  halted.  This  looked  favorable 
and  strengthened  the  reports  wonderfully.  Every 
one  put  on  a significant  look.  The  men  took  it  for 
granted,  and,  as  if  they  could  not  wait  for  the  an- 
nouncement of  the  news,  shouts  were  heard  on  every 
side.  How  anxiously  we  waited  and  how  eagerly 
we  listened.  We  caught  up  everything.  Nothing 
was  too  good  nor  too  great.  About  noon  it  was 
known  that  the  generals  of  the  two  armies  were  in 
conference  and  the  result  was  impatiently  awaited. 
About  four  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  General  Meade 
and  staff  came  in  from  the  front.  His  Chief  of  Staff, 
General  Webb,  preceded  him,  and  announced  to  the 
troops  that  lined  the  road  on  either  side,  that  Gen- 
eral Lee  and  his  army  had  surrendered.  It  is  useless 
to  attempt  to  describe  the  scene  that  followed.  The 
very  ground  seemed  to  shake  with  the  cheers  and 
yells  of  triumph  that  burst  forth  from  that  memo- 
rable field.  A thousand  hats  went  up  at  once.  The 
men  seemed  almost  wild  with  joy.  General  Meade 
and  staff  rode  through  the  dense  mass  and  imagina- 
tion would  now  tell  me  that  he  was  obscured  from 
sight  with  the  shouts  of  a thousand  mouths  and  the 
waving  and  hurling  of  as  many  hats.” 


APPENDIX  I. 


491 


“ Officers  and  men  grasped  each  other’s  hands  in 
wild  delight.  The  old  war-worn  and  battle-stained 
colors  seemed  to  wave  expressions  of  joy.  Our  men 
gathered  around  General  McAllister,  who  spoke  to 
them  amidst  continuous  cheers.  America  never  saw 
such  a scene  before,  and  I never  expect  to  witness 
another.  That  day  the  fate  of  the  Rebellion  was 
sealed,  and  the  soldier  knew  and  felt  that  the  shot 
and  shell  from  that  army  would  never  again  sweep 
a comrade  from  their  side.  All  who  were  there  felt 
proud  of  it,  and  rejoiced  that  they  had  been  partici- 
pators in  the  grand  closing  scene.” 

The  writer's  “labor  of  love”  is  finished  with  the 
war,  for  the  war  terminated  with  the  surrender  of 
Lee.  Every  succeeding  shot  was  nothing  more  than 
the  distant  and  dying  echoes  of  the  thunderbolt 
which  burst  between  the  Appomattox  and  the  James. 
There,  as  when  the  clouds  first  gathered,  the  rattle  of 
the  Third  Corps  musketry  and  the  roar  of  their  guns 
blent  with  the  awful  uproar  which  ushered  in  and 
which  terminated  the  great  American  Conflict.  Oh, 
glorious  body  of  heroes  ! how  grateful  the  duty  of 
commemorating  your  achievements,  which  demon- 
strated in  fire  and  attested  in  blood  the  truth  of  your 
claim  of  having  ever  been — 

“ FIRST  IN  ATTACK,  LAST  IN  RETREAT,  THIRD  ONLY 
IN  NAME  ! ” 

About  seven  years  [this  was  originally  published 
in  1872]  have  elapsed  since  the  last  organized  Con- 
federate force  submitted  to  tne  Union  administra- 
tion. Not  only  has  Nature  healed  the  scars  inflicted 
by  the  struggle  ; not  only  has  industry  effaced  the 


492 


APPENDIX  I. 


damages  occasioned  by  the  most  terrible  engines  of 
war ; but  even  the  bones  of  the  fallen — whether 
washed  out  of  their  shallow  graves  by  the  rain,  or 
thrown  up  by  the  frost,  or  uprooted  by  the  beasts  of 
prey — have  disintegrated  and  dissolved,  mingling 
with  their  kindred  clay,  until  not  a vestige  remains 
of  the  sanguinary  convulsions  upon  the  various  bat- 
tlefields, moistened  with  the  blood  of  hundreds  of 
thousands  of  victims,  and  fattened  with  the  corpses 
of  half  as  many  thousands  of  the  slain.  Under  these 
circumstances,  since  nature,  art  and  industry  are  so 
rapidly  effacing  every  memento  of  our  civil  war,  it 
behooves  the  government  and  the  historian  not  to 
lose  a single  moment  in  their  endeavors  to  rescue 
from  the  darkness  of  oblivion  the  achievements  of 
those  gallant  men  consigned  to  the  gloom  of  the 
grave  by  their  unselfish  patriotism  and  voluntary  im- 
molation for  the  preservation  of  their  country  and  its 
institutions. 

As  it  has  been  observed  by  one  of  our  most  popu- 
lar writers,  Longfellow,  in  his  “ Gleam  of  Sunshine,” 

“ Let  me  review  the  scene, 

And  summon  from  the  shadowy  past 
The  forms  that  once  had  been.” 

Even  so,  let  the  pen  of  the  poet  and  the  historian 
plant  their  own  peculiar  flowers  over  the  tombs  of 
the  fallen,  to  grow,  bud,  blossom  and  flourish  in 
amaranthine  beauty  and  freshness,  that  their  odor 
and  charms  may  keep  in  everlasting  remembrance 
the  devotion  and  the  glory  of  the  illustrious  dead, 
and  perpetuate  the  remembrance  of  the  living  who 
emulated  their  virtues,  partook  of  their  labors,  shared 


APPENDIX  I. 


493 


their  sufferings  and  participated  in  their  dangers. 
Among  these  last  the  prominent  figure  in  this  little 
Memorial  is  the  commander  of  the  combined  Second- 
Third  Corps,  Maj.-Gen.  Andrew  Atkinson  Hum- 
phreys, the  best  soldier,  according  to  the  Greek  un- 
derstanding, of  the  War:  “Thus  everybody  who 
commands  a [large]  force  [of  armed  and  disciplined] 
men,  is  indeed  commonly  called  a general ; yet,  he 
who  is  able,  in  a crisis,  to  collect  himself  and  see  his 
way  through,  he  is  the  real  general  ; the  other  is  a 
mere  general-officer.” 

Lecourbe,  the  faithful  lieutenant  of  Massena  at 
Zurich,  and  of  Moreau  upon  the  Rhine,  was  “ an  in- 
comparable general,  at  once  an  intrepid  soldier  and  a 
highly  enlightened  officer,  who  united  to  a rare  saga- 
city in  regard  to  the  knowledge  of  localities,  very  un- 
common audacity  and  an  admirable  tact.”  How 
aptly  these  attestations  apply  to  Humphreys,  wonder- 
ful in  his  power  of  seeing  what  had  to  be  done  and  in 
doing  it  promptly — a consummate  handler  of  troops. 
Colonel  Paine,  “ the  Pathfinder  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,”  who  served  beside  and  under  Humphreys 
while  the  latter  was  chief  of  its  staff,  said  a very 
handsome  thing  of  his  superior,  in  making  the  follow- 
ing analysis  of  his  character,  which  tallies  exactly 
with  Dumas’  estimate  of  the  upright  Lecourbe : 
“ For  general,  as  well  as  intimate,  acquaintance  with 
the  country  in  which  he  [Humphreys]  was  operating, 
and  the  troops  against  whom  he  was  engaged — in 
fact,  the  general  relative  situation  of  affairs — Hum- 
phreys was  second  to  no  other  Union  general.  * * 
From  his  usual  quiescent  suavity  he  was  metamor- 
phosed into  the  impersonation  of  enthusiasm,  in 
action.” 


494 


APPENDIX  I. 


LNote. — After  the  consolidation  or  combination  of  the  Third 
Corps  with  the  Second  (one  of  the  most  flagrant  injustices  of 
the  war)  Birney’s  Division  (First  of  the  old  Third,  and  now 
Third  of  the  combined  Second-Third  Corps)  headquarter  flag 
was  white , with  a red  (Kearny,  original)  diamond  in  the  cen- 
ter. Mott’s  Division  (Second  of  the  old  Third,  and  now  Fourth 
of  the  combined  Second-Third  Corps ) flag  was  bl ue,  with  a white 
(Hooker,  original)  diamond  in  the  center.  The  flag  of  the  con- 
solidated divisions  (First  and  Second  of  the  Third  Corps,  and 
Third  of  the  combined  Second-Third  Corps) — at  the  close  of  the 
war  commanded  by  Mott,  and  finally  by  De  Trobriand — was  a 
swallowtail,  blue,  with,  in  the  center,  a combined  red  and  white 
diamond  ; or  a white  diamond  within  a red  diamond,  to  recall 
both  the  former  First  and  Second  Divisions  (Kearny’s  and 
Hooker’s)  of  the  original  old  Third  Corps.  The  inner  diamond 
was  white,  upon  a larger  diamond  red,  so  that  the  latter  should 
show  like  a red  border  around  the  former  ; in  the  center  of  the 
inner,  the  white,  diamond,  was  a small  blue  trefoil,  the  badge  of 
the  Second  Corps.  This  is  the  statement  of  Major-General 
Mott  (4,  5,  ’72),  correcting  the  previous  description  of  his  Aid, 
Captain  Demarest,  published  as  a note,  in  the  Citizen  of  17th 
February,  1872.] 


APPENDIX  II. 

THE  GRAND  REVIEW. 

The  official  orders  upon  which  the  Grand  Review 
of  May  23  and  24,  1865,  was  conducted  are  here  re- 
printed from  the  Army  and  Navy  Journal  of  May 
27,  1865.  The  schedules  were  widely  distributed 
throughout  the  country  and  in  the  hands  of  the 
multitude  of  spectators  along  the  line  of  march. 
Following  are  the  orders  : they  form  a fitting  and 
historical  introductory  to  the  oration  in  1890  concern- 
ing it  which  is  reproduced  in  Appendix  III  (infra.) 

ORDER  OF  LIEUTENANT-GENERAL  GRANT. 

Headquarters  of  the  Army,  Adjutant-General’s 
Office,  Washington,  May  18th,  1865. 

Special  Orders,  No.  539.  (Extract) 

6.  A review,  with  marching  salute,  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  the  Army  of 
Georgia,  and  General  Sheridan’s  Cavalry,  will  take 
place  on  Tuesday  and  Wednesday,  the  23d  and  24th 
instants. 

On  Tuesday,  the  23d  instant,  will  be  reviewed  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  General  Sheridan’s  Cavalry 
and  the  Ninth  Corps,  all  under  the  command  of 
Major-General  George  G.  Meade,  commanding  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac. 

On  Wednesday,  the  24th  instant,  will  be  reviewed 
the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  Major-General  O.  O. 
Howard,  commanding,  and  the  Army  of  Georgia, 

495 


496 


APPENDIX  II. 


Major-General  H.  W.  Slocum,  commanding,  the 
whole  under  command  of  Major-General  W.  T. 
Sherman. 

The  following  will  be  the  order  of  march  : — The 
head  of  column  will,  each  day,  rest  on  Maryland 
Avenue,  at  foot  of  Capitol  Hill,  moving  at  precisely 
9 a.  m.,  passing  around  the  Capitol  to  Pennsylvania 
Avenue,  thence  up  the  Avenue  to  the  Aqueduct 
Bridge,  and  across  to  their  camp. 

The  troops  will  be  without  knapsacks,  marching 
at  company  front,  closed  in  mass,  and  at  route  step, 
except  between  Fifteenth  Street  and  New  York 
Avenue  and  Seventeenth  street,  where  the  cadence 
step  will  be  observed. 

Each  brigade  will  be  accompanied  by  six  am- 
bulances, passing  three  abreast. 

The  Reviewing  Officer  will  be  stationed  in  front  of 
the  President’s  House,  where  provisions  will  be 
made  for  members  of  the  Cabinet,  heads  of  Military 
and  Civil  Departments,  and  Corps  Diplomatique. 

The  Ninth  Army  Corps,  Major-General  Parke, 
commanding,  will  report  to  Major-General  Meade  for 
the  review. 

Major-General  C.  C.  Augur,  commanding  Depart- 
ment of  Washington,  will  have  the  necessary  guards 
posted  in  the  streets  along  the  route,  keeping  the 
street  clear  of  all  horsemen  and  carriages,  except 
those  of  the  proper  officers,  heads  of  Military  and 
Civil  Departments,  or  Corps  Diplomatique,  and  such 
other  arrangements  as  are  necessary  to  facilitate  the 
review. 

By  command  of  Lieutenant-General  Grant. 

E.  D.  Townsend,  Assistant-Adjutant-General. 

Official:  R.  Williams,  Assistant-Adjutant-General. 


APPENDIX  II. 


497 


THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC. 

Order  op  General  Meade. 

Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac,  May  20, 1865. 
General  Orders,  No.  27. 

In  accordance  with  instructions  received  from 
headquarters.  Armies  of  the  United  States,  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  will  be  passed  in  review  through 
Washington  City  on  Tuesday,  23d  instant,  in  the 
following  order,  viz  : — 

1st.  Headquarters,  Army  of  the  Potomac  and 
escort. 

2d  Cavalry  Corps,  Major-General  Merritt,*  com- 
manding. 

3d.  Provost-Marshal-General’s  Brigade,  Brevet- 
Brigadier-General  Macy,  commanding. 

4th.  Engineer  Brigade,  Brigadier-General  Benliam, 
commanding. 

5th.  Ninth  Corps,  Major-General  Parke,  command- 
ing, with  Division  of  Tenth  Corps,  Brigadier-General 
Dwight,  commanding. 

6th.  Fifth  Corps,  Brevet  Major-General  Griffin 
commanding. 

7th.  Second  Corps,  Major-General  Humphreys, 
commanding. 

The  artillery  of  each  Corps  will  follow  its  Corps, 
except  that  of  the  Second  Corps,  which  will  follow 
the  leading  Division  of  its  Corps. 

The  Cavalry  Corps  will  form  on  Maryland  avenue, 
with  the  head  of  the  column  abreast  of  the  northern 
entrance  to  the  Capitol,  prepared  to  move  at  pre- 
cisely 9 o’clock  A.  M. 

* See  foot-note  on  subsequent  page — explaining  absence  of 
Generals  Sheridan  and  Crook. 

32 


498 


APPENDIX  II. 


The  Ninth  Corps  will  be  marched  across  Long 
Bridge  on  the  22d  instant,  and  will  bivouac  on 
ground  east  of  the  Capitol,  to  be  designated  to  its 
commanding  general.  It  will  form  on  East  Capitol 
street,  the  head  of  the  column  on  First  street  east 
at  6 o'clock  a.  m.,  on  the  23d  instant,  prepared  to 
follow  the  cavalry. 

At  4 o’clock  A.  M.  of  the  22d  instant,  the  Fifth 
Corps  will  be  put  in  motion,  crossing  Long  Bridge 
and  the  canal  bridge  on  Maryland  avenue,  will  then 
move  easterly  sufficiently  to  countermarch,  and  to 
form  on  Pennsylvania  avenue,  with  the  bead  of 
the  column  on  First  street  east,  prepared  to  follow 
the  Ninth  Corps. 

The  Engineer  Brigade,  and  the  Provost-Marshal- 
General’s  Brigade,  will  bivouac  on  the  evening  of 
the  22d  instant,  near  the  Long  Bridge,  and  moving 
over  that  and  the  canal  bridge,  on  Maryland  avenue, 
at  3.30  o’clock  a.  m.  on  the  23d  instant,  will  take 
position  on  A street  north,  prepared  to  follow  the 
cavalry. 

The  Second  Corps  will  move  at  7 o’clock  A.  m.  , on 
the  23d  instant,  and,  crossing  Long  Bridge  and  the 
canal  bridge  on  Maryland  avenue,  will  form  column 
on  the  streets  of  the  Fifth  ward,  south  of  Penn- 
sylvania avenue,  prepared  to  follow  the  Fifth  Corps 
on  First  street  east. 

The  formation  of  the  column  will  be  as  designated 
in  Special  Orders  No.  239,  current  series,  head- 
quarters of  the  Army,  Adjutant-General’s  office, 
May  18,  1805,  by  companies,  closed  in  mass,  with 
shortened  intervals  between  regiments,  brigades, 
and  divisions.  For  the  sake  of  uniformity,  and  to 
pass  narrow  portions  of  the  street,  the  company  front 


APPENDIX  II. 


499 


will  be,  throughout  the  Army,  twenty  files — Brigade 
commanders  will  see  that  the  regimental  command- 
ers adopt  this  formation.  The  number  of  commands 
must  depend  upon  the  number  of  men  in  the  regi- 
ment. Each  brigade  of  infantry  will  be  accompa- 
nied by  six  ambulances  passing  three  abreast. 

Mounted  officers  will  salute  in  passing  the  review- 
ing officer.  The  staff  of  the  major-general  com- 
manding, after  passing  the  reviewing  officer,  will  be 
formed  on  the  street  to  be  hereafter  designated. 
Corps  commanders  will  direct  their  staff  officers, 
after  passing  the  reviewing  officer  to  continue  in 
lead  of  their  respective  corps,  over  the  route  herein- 
after designated. 

The  cadence  step  will  be  taken  from  the  Capitol 
until  passing  Seventeenth  street.  Arms  will  be 
carried  at  right  shoulder-shift  from  the  Capitol  to 
the  front  of  the  State  Department.  After  passing 
the  reviewing  officer  and  Seventeenth  street,  the 
cavalry,  moving  briskly,  for  six  hundred  or  eight 
hundred  yards,  will  proceed  to  the  Circle,  and 
thence  through  the  street  north  to  its  camp.  The 
Provost-Marshal-General’s  Brigade,  the  Engineer’s 
Brigade,  and  the  Fifth  Corps  will  march  via  Bridge 
street,  Georgetown,  and  the  Aqueduct  Bridge  to 
Ball's  Crossroads,  and  thence  to  their  camps. 

The  Ninth  and  Second  Corps  will  move  across  the 
Potomac  via  the  pontoon  bridge  at  the  foot  of  High 
street,  Georgetown,  turning  off  attlie  Circle,  through 
K street,  and  taking  the  lower  road,  past  Arlington 
House,  to  Columbia  Pike,  will  move  to  their  camps- 

Corps  commanders  will  see  that,  after  passing 
Seventeenth  street,  the  gait  be  increased  by  regi- 
ments, and  will  take  advantage  of  any  of  the  side 


500 


APPENDIX  II. 


streets  to  mass  their  commands  or  portions  of  them. 
Should  the  column  moving  past  the  reviewing  officer 
be  checked,  they  will  employ  their  staff  officers  to 
prevent  any  recurrence  of  the  kind,  and  will  send 
officers  in  advance  to  examine  well  the  ground  near 
the  bridges  available  for  placing  their  corps  in  mass. 
When  practicable,  batteries  will  form  battery  front. 
The  unarmed  men  of  the  several  commands,  and 
such  men  as  may  be  excused  from  duty  by  the 
medical  officers  will  constitute  the  guard  to  be  left 
in  camp. 

By  command  of  Major-General  Meade. 

Geo.  D.  Ruggles,  Assistant  Adjutant-General. 

ORDER  OF  MARCH. 

Headquarters  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 

Monday,  May  22d,  1865. 

The  following  order,  in  column  of  corps,  divisions, 
brigades,  and  regiments,  for  the  review  on  the  23d 
instant,  is  published  for  general  information,  viz  : — 

Headquarters  Army  Potomac. 

Major-General  George  G.  Meade,  commanding. 
General  Staff. 

Headquarters  Escort — Squadron  1st  Massachusetts 
cavalry,  Captain  E.  A.  Flint,  commanding. 

Cavalry  Corps. 

Major-General  Merritt,  commanding. 

General  Staff. 

Headquarters  Escort — 5th  U.  S.  cavalry,  Lieut. 
Urban,  commanding. 


APPENDIX  II.  501 

Third  Cavalry  Division — Maj.-Gen.  George  A. 
Custer,  commanding. 

Second  Brigade — Col.  Wells,  commanding  : 15th 
New  York  cavalry,  8th  New  York  cavalry,  1st  Ver- 
mont cavalry. 

Third  Brigade — Col.  Capehart,  commanding : 2d 
West  Virginia  cavalry,  3d  West  Virginia  cavalry,  1st 
West  Virginia  cavalry,  1st  New  York  Light  cavalry. 

First  Brigade — Col.  Pennington,  commanding  : 2d 
New  York  cavalry,  1st  Connecticut  cavalry,  3d  New 
York  cavalry,  2d  Ohio  cavalry. 

Second  Cavalry  Division— Brevet  Maj.-Gen. 
Henry  E.  Davies,  commanding.* 

First  Brigade — Brevet  Major-Gen.  Davies,  com- 
manding : 10th  New  York  cavalry,  24th  New  York 
cavalry,  1st  New  Jersey  cavalry,  1st  Pennsylvania 
cavalry.* 


* This  command,  designated  as  “ Second  Cavalry  Division,” 
was  the  command  of  Major-General  George  Crook,  who  had 
embraced  this  opportunity  to  secure  a short  leave  of  absence, 
leaving  his  next  in  rank.  General  Davies,  in  command.  The 
absence  of  its  other  two  Brigades  is  accounted  for  by  their  de- 
tachment on  important  service  before  the  Division  left  lower 
Virginia  as  stated  in  Chapter  XI. 

The  Second  Brigade,  which  after  the  battle  at  Farmville, 
April  7th,  had  been  commanded  by  Colonel  S.  B.  M.  Young, 
who  temporarily  then  succeeded  Gen.  J.  Irwin  Gregg,  (cap- 
tured), had  been  detached  and  sent  towards  Lynchburg,  where 
subsequently  General  Gregg  was  placed  in  command  of  a 
specified  territory,  and  instructed  to  restore  order  and  industry 
among  the  inhabitants.  This  Brigade  comprised  the  Fourth, 
Eighth,  Sixteenth  and  Twenty-first  Regiments  of  Pennsylvania 
Cavalry,  which  troops  had  been  overseeing  the  Virginia  coun- 
ties of  Amherst,  Campbell  and  Appomattox,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Colonel  (now  Lieutenant-General)  Young. 

The  latter  had  arrested  the  Sheriff  Hix,  of  Appomattox 


502 


APPENDIX  II. 


First  Cavalry  Division— Brig.-Gen.  Thomas 
Devin,  commanding — 

Reserve  Brigade — Brig.-Gen.  Alfred  Gibbs,  com- 
manding : 6tli  New  York  cavalry,  2d  Massachusetts 
cavalry,  6th  Pennsylvania  cavalry. 

Second  Brigade — Col.  C.  L.  Fitzhugh,  commanding : 
6th  New  York  cavalry,  1st  New  York  dragoons,  20th 
Pennsylvania  cavalry,  17th  Pennsylvania  cavalry, 
9th  New  York  cavalry. 

First  Brigade — Col.  Peter  Stagg,  commanding  : 6th 
Michigan  cavalry,  7th  Michigan  cavalry,  1st  Michi- 
gan cavalry,  5th  Michigan  cavalry. 

Horse  Artillery  Brigade — Brevet  Col.  James  M. 
Robertson,  commanding:  Battery  C. , 2d  United 


County,  to  whom  had  been  confided  the  task  of  distributing 
among  “deserving  destitute  inhabitants”  abandoned  prop- 
erty of  the  surrendered  army.  This  Sheriff  had  exceeded  his 
authority,  and  with  an  armed  force  of  citizens  and  paroled 
prisoners  “ had  seized  horses  ” from  what  he  termed  “ common 
people”  and  was  giving  them  "to  those  that  hitherto  have  been 
termed  wealthy  planters.”  The  former  organized  a home  force 
in  self-defence,  and  conflicts  ensued  ; and  also  “considerable 
robbing  by  paroled  prisoners  and  men  who  have  never  been 
paroled  and  who  do  not  live  in  this  state  (Va.)  together  with 
some  bounty  jumpers  from  the  U.  S.  Army.”  [Quoted  from 
Official  Report  of  Colonel  Young,  Vol.  46,  Part  III,  page  1157, 
Off.  Rec.  War  of  Rebellion.] 

The  “ Third  Brigade  ” of  the  “ Second  Cavalry  Division  ” com- 
prised the  following  Regiments : the  First  Maine,  Second  New 
York  Mounted  Rifles,  the  Sixth  Ohio  and  the  Thirteenth  Ohio. 
Its  commander  was  Brevet  Brigadier-General  C.  H.  Smith. 
This  command  was  left  at  Petersburg,  May  9,  and  at  the  time 
of  the  review,  was  charged  with  duties,  corresponding  to  those 
above  described,  in  governing  the  section  of  country  officially 
described  as  the  “sub-District  of  Appomattox,  consisting  of  the 
[Virginia]  counties  of  Chesterfield,  Amelia,  Powhatan,  Cumber- 
land, and  Buckingham,”  Genl.  Smith  commanding.  Five  com- 


APPENDIX  II. 


503 


States  artillery,  Captain  D.  R.  Ransom  ; Battery  R. 
and  L.,  2d  United  States  artillery,  Lieut.  John  M. 
McGillovay  ; Battery  L.,  5th  United  States  artillery, 
Lieut.  W.  F.  Randolph  ; Battery  D,  2d  United 
States  artillery,  Capt.  F.  B.  Williston ; 6th  New 
York  Independent  battery,  Lieut.  J.  W.  Wilson  ; 
Battery  M,  2d  United  States  artillery,  Lieut.  C.  A. 
Woodruff  ; Battery  C and  E,  4th  United  States  artil- 
lery, Capt.M.  P.  Miller. 

panies  of  the  Sixth  Ohio  were  assigned  to  the  Sub-District  of 
neighborhood  counties.  See  the  apportionment  of  troops  for 
the  “ District  of  the  Nottoway,  Headquarters  at  Petersburg  ” 
as  described  in  its  “ General  Orders  No.  1,  May  32d,  1865,”  as 
quoted  at  page  1198  of  same  [46]  Volume,  Part  III,  Official 
Rec.  War  Rebellion  ; also  Ibid,  page  1213. 

It  need  not  be  assumed  that  the  absence  of  General  Crook  on 
leave  at  the  time  of  the  Review  was  occasioned  in  any  degree  by 
the  diminution  of  the  size  of  his  Division  ; for  ranking  next  in 
line  to  General  Sheridan,  the  latter’s  absence  had  left  General 
Crook  in  command  of  all  the  cavalry.  At  “ Black  and  White’s 
Station,  Va.,”  on  the  eveningof  May  1st,  General  Sheridan  in  de- 
parting issued  orders  for  the  march  thence  to  Washington 
“ under  the  direction  of  Major-General  Crook  ” (Ibid,  page  1061). 

The  effect  of  this  order  and  his  rank  would  have  placed  Gen- 
eral Crook  at  the  head  of  the  Cavalry  Column  at  the  Great 
Review.  To  a trained  soldier  of  Crook’s  disposition  this  honor 
offered  no  temptation,  as  against  the  opportunity  to  visit  the 
lady  who  shortly  became  Mrs.  Crook. 

The  entire  State  of  Virginia  about  that  time  was  divided  into 
sub-districts ; and  the  District  of  Appomattox  as  above  described 
was  changed  in  name  to  the  “ District  of  Lynchburg,”  and  also 
was  enlarged  to  embrace  the  additional  counties  of  Nelson, 
Bedford,  Pittsylvania,  Henry,  Patrick  and  Franklin,  and  placed 
May  25th,  1865,  under  the  command  of  Brevet  Brigadier  General 
J.  Irwin  Gregg.  These  dispositions  explain  the  absence  from 
the  Great  Review  of  many  gallant  and  distinguished  officers 
and  the  famous  commands  to  which  they  were  attached. 

H.  E.  T. 


33 


504 


APPENDIX  II. 


Ninth  Corps. 

Major  General  John  G.  Parke,  commanding. 

General  Staff. 

First  Division— Brevet  Major-General  O.  B.  Wil- 
cox, commanding. 

First  Brigade — Col.  Samuel  Harriman,  command- 
ing : 38th  Wisconsin,  Col.  James  Bentliff ; 37th 
Michigan,  Col.  Charles  Waite  ; 17th  Michigan,  Lieut. 
Col.  John  Green  ; 109th  New  York,  Capt.  Z.  G.  Gor- 
don ; 79tli  New  York,  Major  A.  D.  Baird. 

Provost- Marshal- General's  Brigade — Brevet  Brig.- 
Gen.  G.  N.  Macy,  Provost  Marshal-General,  com- 
manding : 2d  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  Col.  Sanders ; 
1st  Massachusetts  cavalry,  Major  Tewksbury ; 3d 
United  States  infantry,  Major  Archer  ; 10th  United 
States  infantry,  Capt.  Hall. 

Engineer  Brigade — Brig.  Gen.  H.W.  Benham,  com- 
manding : Battalion  of  Regular  Engineers,  Brevet 
Major  Harwood,  commanding  : 15tli  New  York  Engi- 
neers, Col.  Brainard,  commanding:  50th  New  York 
Engineers,  Brevet  Col.  Spaulding,  commanding. 

Second  Brigade — Brevet  Col.  Ralph  Ely,  command- 
ing : 1st  Sharpshooters  and  2d  Michigan,  Lieut. -Col. 
A.  W.  Nichols  ; 46th  New  York  Veteran  Volunteers, 
Lieut.-Col.  Adolph  Becker  ; 50th  Pennsylvania  Vet- 
eran Volunteers,  Lieut.-Col.  W.  H.  Telford  ; 20th 
Michigan,  Lieut.-Col.  C.  A.  Lounsbury  ; 60th  Ohio, 
Lieut.-Col.  M.  P.  Avery. 

Third  Brigade — Bre vet  Brig. -Gen.  N.  B.  McLaugh- 
lin, commanding  : 3d  Maryland  Battery,  Brevet  Col. 
G.  P.  Robinson  ; 14th  New  York  Heavy  Artillery, 
Col.  E.  G.  Marshall ; 57th  Massachusetts,  Lieut.-Col. 
G.  M.  Tucker  ; 59th  Massachusetts,  Capt.  Frederick 


APPENDIX  II  505 

Cochrane  ; 100th  Pennsylvania,  Col.  A.  J.  Max- 
well. 

Second  Division— Brig. -Gen.  S.  G.  Griffin,  com- 
manding. 

First  Brigade, — Col.  Sumner  Carruth,  commanding : 
39th  New  York,  Col.  A.  C.  Wildrick  ; 48th  Pennsyl- 
vania, Col.  J.  F.  Brannon  ; 7th  Rhode  Island,  Brevet 
Col.  P.  Daniels ; 45th  Pennsylvania,  Brevet  Col.  T. 
Gregg  ; 58th  Massachusetts,  Lieut. -Col.  J.  C.  Whea- 
ton ; 36  Massachusetts,  Lieut. -Col.  T.  L.  Barker ; 
35th  Massachusetts,  Lieut. -Col.  John  W.  Hudson  ; 
51st  New  York,  Col.  J.  G.  Wright. 

Second  Brigade — Col.  Herbert  B.  Titus,  command- 
ing : 11th  New  Hampshire,  Col.  Walter  Harriman  ; 
56th  Massachusetts,  Col.  S.  M.  Weld,  Jr.;  179th  New 
York,  Col.  W.  M.  Gregg  ; 17th  Vermont,  Col.  T.  V. 
Randall;  31st  Maine,  Col.  Daniel  White;  186th  New 
York,  Lieut.-Col.  E.  G.  Marsh  ; 2d  Maryland,  Lieut.  - 
Col.  B.  F.  Taylor  ; 6th  New  Hampshire,  Lieut.-Col. 
P.  P.  Bixby  ; 9th  New  Hampshire,  Major  George 
H.  Chandler. 

Third  Division — Brevet  Brig. -Gen.  John  G.  Cur- 
tin, commanding. 

First  Brigade — Col.  A.  B.  McCalmon,  commanding: 
51st  Pennsylvania  Veteran  Volunteers,  Col.  Wm.  J. 
Bolton ; 208th  Pennsylvania,  Lieut.-Col.  M.  T. 
Heintzelman  ; 209th  Pennsylvania,  Col.  T.  B.  Kauf- 
man ; 200th  Pennsylvania,  Major  Jacob  Rehm. 

Second  Brigade — Col.  J.  A.  Mathews,  commanding  : 
207th  Pennsylvania,  Col.  R.  C.  Cox;  211th  Pennsyl- 
vania, Lieut.-Col.  Coulter ; 205th  Pennsylvania, 
Lieut.-Col.  W.  F.  Walter. 

Dwight's  Division — Nineteenth  Army  corps, 
Brig. -Gen.  Wm.  Dwight,  commanding. 


506 


APPENDIX  II. 


First  Brigade — Brig. -Gen,  G.  L.  Beal,  command- 
ing : 15th  Maine,  Col.  Isaac  Dyer  ; 114th  New  York, 
Col.  S.  R.  Per  Lee  ; 29th  Maine,  Col.  George  H.  Nye  ; 
30th  Massachusetts,  Lieut. -Col.  N.  Shardman ; 1st 
Maine  Battalion,  Capt.  C.  S.  Brown. 

Second  Brigade — Brevet  Brig. -Gen.  E.  P.  Davis, 
commanding:  153d  New  York,  Lieut.-Col.  J.  A. 
McLaughlin  ; 8th  Vermont,  Col.  J.  B.  Mead ; 12th 
Connecticut,  Lieut.-Col.  G.  W.  Lewis  ; 26th  Mass- 
achusetts, Lieut.-Col.  W.  H.  Chapman  ; 47th  Penn- 
sylvania, Col.  J.  P.  S.  Gobin. 

Third  Brigade — Brig. -Gen.  J.  D.  Fessenden,  com- 
manding : 173d  New  York,  Col.  L.  M.  Peck  ; 160th 
New  York,  Col.  C.  C.  Dwight ; 162d  New  York,  Col. 
J.  W.  Blanchard  ; 133d  New  York,  Col.  L.  D.  Currie, 
30th  Maine,  Col.  T.  H.  Hubbard. 

Artillery  Brigade — Brevet  Brig.-Gen.  J.  C.  Tidball, 
commanding  : 34th  New  York  battery,  Brevet  Major 
J.  Roemer  ; 7 Maine  battery,  Captain  A.  B.  Twitch- 
ell  ; 19th  New  York  battery,  Captain  E.  W.  Rogers ; 
Battery  D.  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  artillery,  Cap- 
tain S.  H.  Rhoads;  11th  Massachusetts  battery, 
Captain  E.  J.  Jones;  27th  New  York  battery,  Cap- 
tain J.  B.  Eaton. 


Fifth  Corps. 

Brevet  Major-Gen.  Charles  Griffin,  commanding. 

General  Staff. 

First  Division — Brig.-Gen.  J.  L.  Chamberlain, 
commanding. 

First  Brigade — Brevet  Brig.-Gen.  A.  L.  Pearson, 
commanding  : 198tli  Pennsylvania,  Capt.  John  Stan- 
ton ; 185th  New  York,  Col.  G.  Sniper. 


APPENDIX  II. 


507 


Second  Brigade — Brevet  Brig.-Gen.  E.  M.  Gregory, 
commanding ; 189th  New  York,  Col.  A.  L.  Burr ; 
187th  New  York,  Lieut.-Col.  D.  Myers  ; 188tli  New 
York,  Col.  J.  McMahon. 

Third  Brigade— Col.  J.  Cushing  Edmunds,  com- 
manding : 3d  Massachusetts,  Lieut.-Col.  J.  A.  Cun- 
ningham ; 20th  Maine,  Brevet  Major  A.  W.  Clark  ; 
91st  Pennsylvania,  Lieut.-Col.  E.  J.  Sellers ; 1st 
Maine  Sharpshooters,  Capt.  Geo.  R.  Abbott ; 16th 
Michigan,  Col.  B.  F.  Partridge  ; 155th  Pennsylvania, 
Major  J.  A.  Cline  ; 1st  Michigan,  Lieut.-Col.  George 
Loekley ; 118th  Pennsylvania,  Brevet  Major  J.  B. 
Wilson  ; 83d  Pennsylvania,  Col.  C.  P.  Rogers. 

Second  Division— Brevet  Maj.-Gen.  R.  B.  Ayres, 
commanding. 

First  Brigade — Brig.-Gen.  Joseph  Hayes,  com- 
manding : 114th  Pennsylvania,  Brevet  Brig.-Gen. 
C.  H.  T.  Collis ; 5th  New  York,  Lieut.-Col.  W.  F. 
Drum;  145th  New  York,  Col.  James  Grindlay ; 
140th  New  York,  Lieut.-Col.  W.  S.  Grantsyon ; 
15th  New  York  heavy  artillery,  Maj.  Louis  Eiclie ; 
61st  Massachusetts,  Col.  C.  F.  AVolcot. 

Second  Brigade — Brevet  Brig.-Gen.  A.  W.  Denni- 
son, commanding:  1st  Maryland,  Col.  D.  L.  Stan- 
ton ; 4th  Maryland,  Col.  R.  W.  Bowerman ; 7th 
Maryland,  Major  E.  M.  Mobley ; 8th  Maryland, 
Lieut.-Col.  E.  F.  M.  Fashtry. 

Third  Brigade — Brevet  Brig.-Gen.  James  Gwyn, 
commanding : 190th  Pennsylvania,  Col.  W.  R. 
Hartsliorne ; 210th  Pennsylvania,  Major  J.  H. 
Graves ; 4th  Delaware,  Brevet  Lieut.-Col.  M.  B. 
Gist  ; 3d  Delaware,  Capt.  D.  D.  Joseph  ; 8th  Dela- 
ware, Capt.  John  Richard  ; 181st  Pennsylvania,  Col. 
James  Carle. 


508 


APPENDIX  II. 


Third  Division— Brevet  Brig.-Gen.  S.  H.  Craw- 
ford, commanding. 

First  Brigade — Brevet  Brig.-Gen.  H.  A.  Morrow, 
commanding:  6th  Wisconsin,  Brevet  Lieut. -Col. 
D.  B.  Baily  ; 7th  Wisconsin,  Lieut. -Col.  H.  Richard- 
son ; 91st  New  York,  Lieut. -Col.  W.  J.  Denslow ; 
Independent  Battalion  sharpshooters,  Capt.  Clinton 
Perry. 

Second  Brigade — Brig.-Gen.  Henry  Baxter,  com- 
manding : 11th  Pennsylvania,  Brevet  Brig.-Gen.  R. 
Coulter  ; 97th  New  York,  Col.  J.  P.  Spofford  ; 104th 
New  York,  Lieut. -Col.  J.  A.  Strong  ; 16th  Maine, 
Major  J.  R.  Small ; 39th  Massachusetts,  Capt.  F.  R. 
Kinsley  ; 107tli  Pennsylvania,  Col.  T.  F.  McCoy. 

Third  Brigade — Brevet  Brig.-Gen.  Adrian  R.  Root, 
commanding:  94th  New  York,  Lieut. -Col.  S.  A. 
Moffatt ; 142d  Pennsylvania,  Lieut. -Col.  H.  N.  War- 
ren ; 95th  New  York,  Lieut. -Col.  Creney ; 88th 
Pennsylvania,  Lieut. -Col.  G.  Harney  ; 121st  Penn- 
sylvania, Lieut. -Col.  J.  L.  Warner ; 56th  Pennsyl- 
vania, Major  H.  A.  Laycock  ; 147tli  New  York,  Col. 
F.  C.  Miller. 

Artillery  Brigade — Brevet  Brig.-Gen.  C.  S.  Wain- 
wriglit,  commanding : Battery  B,  4th  U.  S.  Artil- 
lery, Brevet  Capt.  James  Stewart ; Battery  H,  1st  New 
York  Artillery,  Brevet  Maj.  C.  E.  Mink  ; Battery  B, 
1st  New  York  Artillery,  Capt.  R.  E.  Rogers  ; Capt. 
J.  B.  Hazleton,  Batteries  D and  G,  5th  New  York 
Artillery  ; Battery  D,  1st  New  York  Artillery,  First 
Lieut.  J.  B.  Rawles. 

Second  Corps. 

Major-Gen.  A.  A.  Humphreys,  commanding. 

General  Staff. 


APPENDIX  II. 


509 


Headquarters  Escort— Company  F,  1st  New  Jer- 
sey cavalry,  Capt.  John  Hobensack,  commanding. 

First  Division— Brevet  Brig.-Gen.  John  Ramsey, 
commanding. 

Third  Brigade — Brevet  Brig.-Gen.  C.  D.  McDoug- 
all,  commanding : 39th  New  York,  Col.  A.  Funk  ; 
52d  New  York,  Lieut. -Col.  H.  M.  Harpies ; 125th 
New  York,  Major  W.  H.  H.  Brainard  ; 111th  New 
York,  Lieut. -Col.  L.  W.  Husk ; 126th  New  York, 
Capt.  Ira  H.  Wilder ; 7th  New  York,  Col.  Van 
Shack. 

First  Brigade , Col.  John  Fraser,  commanding : 
61st  New  York,  Col.  George  W.  Scott ; 81st  Penn- 
sylvania, Lieut. -Col.  William  Wilson  ; 140th  Penn- 
sylvania, Major  Thomas  Henry ; 26th  Michigan, 
Capt.  L.  H.  Ives;  2d  New  York  heavy  artillery, 
Lieut. -Col.  George  Hoag  ; 5 New  Hampshire,  Capt. 
A.  J.  Hoitt. 

Fourth  Brigade — Col.  S.  A.  Mulholland.  command- 
ing : 116th  Pennsylvania,  Major  D.  W.  Megraw  ; 
53d  Pennsylvania,  Col.  William  M.  Mintzer ; 183d 
Pennsylvania,  Col.  George  T.  Egbert  ; 145th  Penn- 
sylvania, Major  Charles  M.  Lynch  ; 64th  New  York, 
Lieut. -Col.  William  Glenny  ; 148th  Pennsylvania, 
Lieut. -Col.  James  F.  Weaver. 

Second  Brigade — Col.  Robert  Nugent,  command- 
ing : 69th  New  York,  Lieut. -Col.  James  J.  Smith; 
28th  Massachusetts,  Lieut. -Col.  James  Fleming  ; 88th 
New  York,  Lieut.-Col.  D.  F.  Burke  ; 4th  New  York 
heavy  artillery,  Maj.  S.  T.  Gould  ; 63d  New  York, 
Capt.  W.  H.  Terwilliger. 

Artillery  Brigade — Brevet  Lieut.-Col.  J.  G.  Hazard, 
commanding : Battery  K,  4th  United  States  artil- 
lery, Brevet  Capt.  J.  W.  Roder;  Battery  R,  1st 


510 


APPENDIX  II. 


Rhode  Island  artillery,  Lieut.  James  E.  Chase  ; 
Battery  B,  1st  New  Jersey  artillery,  Capt.  A.  J. 
Clark ; Battery  M,  1st  New  Hampshire  artillery, 
Capt.  G.  Dakin  ; 10th  Massachusetts  Battei’y,  Capt. 
J.  Webb  Adams ; 11th  New  York  battery,  Capt.  C.  A. 
Clark. 

Second  Division — Brevet  Major-Gen.  Francis  C. 
Barlow,  commanding. 

First  Brigade — Col.  Wm.  A.  Olmstead,  command- 
ing : 59th  New  York,  Lieut. -Col.  J.  A.  Jewell ; 19th 
Maine,  Lieut. -Col.  J.  W.  Spaulding  ; 184th  Pennsyl- 
vania, Col.  J.  H.  Stover ; 36th  Wisconsin,  Lieut. - 
Col.  C.  E.  Warner ; 20th  Massachusetts,  Lieut. -Col. 
A.  R.  Curtis  ; 19th  Massachusetts,  Lieut. -Col.  C.  E. 
Rice  ; 7th  Michigan,  Lieut.-Col.  G.  W.  Lapoint ; 1st 
Minnesota,  Lieut.-Col.  W.  Donnie ; 152d  New  York, 
Major  J.  E.  Curtis. 

Second  Brigade— Col.  J.  P.  Mclvor,  commanding  : 
8th  New  York  heavy  artillery,  Col.  J.  B.  Baker  ; 
170th  New  York,  Major  Charles  Hagan  ; 155th  New 
York,  Lieut.-Col.  John  Byrne  ; 164th  New  York, 
Lieut.-Col.  Wm.  de  Lacy  ; 69th  New  York  N.  G.  A., 
Lieut.-Col.  John  Coonan. 

Third  Brigade — Col.  D.  Woodall,  commanding : 
108th  New  York,  Lieut.-Col.  F.  E.  Pierce  ; 10th  New 
York,  Lieut.-Col.  G.  F.  Hopper  ; 69th  Pennsylvania, 
Lieut.-Col.  William  Davis ; 1st  Delaware,  Lieut.- 
Col.  J.  C.  Nichols;  4th  Ohio,  Lieut.-Col.  Charles  C. 
Callahan  ; 7th  W.  Va.,  Lieut.-Col.  F.  W.  Baldwin  ; 
12th  New  Jersey,  C.  D.  Lippincott ; 14th  Connecti- 
cut, Capt.  J.  Frank  Morgan  ; 106th  Pennsylvania, 
Capt.  J.  H.  Gallagher. 

Third  Division — Brevet  Maj.-Gen.  G.  Mott,  com- 
manding. 


APPENDIX  II. 


511 


First  Brigade — Brig. -Gen.  R.  de  Trobriand,  com- 
manding : 1st  Maine  heavy  artillery,  Lieut. -Col.  R. 
B.  Shepherd ; 20th  Indiana,  Lieut. -Col.  Andrews  ; 
110th  Pennsylvania,  Capt.  J.  B.  Fite  ; 99tlx  Pennsyl- 
vania, Lieut. -Col.  Peter  Fritz ; 40th  New  York, 
Lieut.-Col.  M.  M.  Cannon  : 86th  New  York,  Maj.  L. 
Todd ; 73d  New  York,  Lieut.-Col.  M.  W.  Burns ; 
124th  New  York,  Lieut.-Col.  C.  H.  Weygant. 

Second  Brigade — Brig.-Gen.  R.  R.  Pierce,  command- 
ing : 17th  Maine,  Col.  C.  P.  Mattocks  ; 105th  Penn- 
sylvania, Maj.  James  Miller;  5th  Michigan,  Lieut.- 
Col.  D.  S.  Root ; 93d  New  York,  Lieut.-Col.  H. 
Gifford;  141st  Pennsylvania,  Lieut.-Col.  J.  H.  Horton; 
1st  Massachusetts  heavy  artillery,  Maj.  Shotwell ; 
57th  Pennsylvania,  Maj.  Samuel  Bryan. 

Third  Brigade — Brig.-Gen.  R.  McAllister,  com- 
manding: 7th  New  Jersey,  Col.  Francis  Price;  120th 
New  York,  Lieut.-Col.  A.  L.  Lockwood;  11th  Massa- 
chusetts, Lieut.-Col.  C.  C.  Rivers ; 8th  New  Jersey, 
Lieut.-Col.  Henry  Hartford  ; 11th  New  Jersey,  Lieut.- 
Col.  John  Shoenover. 

By  command  of  Major-General  Meade. 

Geo.  D.  Ruggles,  Assistant-Adjutant-General. 

GENERAL  SHERMAN'S  ARMY. 

General  Sherman's  Order. 

Headquarters  Military  Division  of  the  Mississippi. 
In  the  field,  Alexandria,  Va.,  May  20,  1865. 
Special  field  Orders,  No.  71. 

I.  To  make  the  review  ordered  for  this  army  in 
the  city  of  Washington  on  Wednesday,  May  24,  the 
two  wings  without  knapsacks,  and  with  two  (2)  days’ 


512 


APPENDIX  II. 


cooked  rations  in  haversacks  will  during  Tuesday 
close,  well  upon  the  Long  Bridge,  the  right  wing  in 
advance.  On  Wednesday,  at  break  of  day,  the 
troops  will  move  out  of  bivouac  by  the  right  flank, 
and  march  until  the  head  of  the  column  is  closed  up 
to  Capitol  grounds,  and  then  mass  as  close  as  pos- 
sible east  of  the  canal,  ready  to  march  according  to 
Special  Orders  No.  239,  Adjutant-General’s  Office, 
May  18,  by  close  columns  of  companies,  right  in 
front,  guide  left  by  the  route  prescribed.  When  the 
companies  fall  below  fifteen  (15)  files  the  Battalions 
will  form  columns  by  Divisions.  At  nine  o’clock 
a.  M.  precisely,  a single  gun  will  be  fired  by  the 
leading  battery,  when  the  head  of  column  will 
march  around  the  Capitol  down  Pennsylvania 
avenue,  and  past  the  reviewing  stand  in  front  of  the 
President’s  House,  thence  to  the  New  Camps  or  to  a 
bivouac,  according  to  the  pleasure  of  the  army  Com- 
manders. All  colors  will  be  unfurled  from  the 
Capitol  to  a point  beyond  the  President’s  reviewing 
stand.  The  General-in-Chief  will  ride  at  the  head  of 
column  and  take  post  near  the  reviewing  officer. 
The  commanders  of  each  army,  corps  and  division, 
attended  by  one  staff  officer,  will  dismount  after 
passing  the  General-in-Chief  and  join  him  while  his 
army,  corps  or  division  is  passing,  when  he  will  re- 
mount and  join  his  command.  Officers  commanding 
regiments  and  above  will  present  swords  on  passing 
reviewing  officer,  but  company  officers  will  make  no 
salute.  Brigade  bands  or  consolidated  field  music 
will  turn  out  and  play  as  their  brigade  passes  the  re- 
viewing officer,  but  will  be  careful  to  cease  playing 
in  time  for  the  succeeding  band  to  be  heard.  One 
band  per  division  may  play  during  the  march  from 


APPENDIX  II. 


513 


the  Capitol  to  the  Treasury  Building.  The  colors  of 
each  battalion  will  salute  by  drooping  in  passing  the 
reviewing  officer,  and  the  field-music  make  three 
ruffles  without  interrupting  the  “ march ” of  the 
band.  Should  intervals  occur  in  the  columns,  care 
will  be  taken  that  divisions  pass  the  reviewing  stand 
compactly,  and  if  the  passing  of  the  bridge  draw  out 
the  columns,  the  march  will  be  continued  with  as 
little  interruption  as  possible  at  full  distance.  Array 
commanders  will  make  all  subordinate  arrangements 
as  to  guides,  etc. 

II.  Army  Commanders  may  at  once  select  new 
camps  east  of  the  Potomac,  the  Right  Wing  above 
Washington,  and  Left  Wing  below,  and  make  ar- 
rangements with  the  Quartermaster’s  Department 
to  collect  fuel,  forage,  etc.  in  advance  at  their  new 
camps,  and  may  march  thereto  direct  from  the 
review  by  routes  that  will  not  interrupt  the  progress 
of  the  columns  behind.  The  wagon  trains  with  camp 
equipage  and  knapsacks,  can  follow  the  day  after 
the  review. 

III.  Mustering  officers  will  at  once  see  to  the  prep- 
arations of  rolls  for  pay  and  discharge  of  the  or- 
ganizations, and  men  that  are  to  be  discharged  under 
existing  orders  of  the  War  Department,  but  no  dis- 
charges will  be  made  till  after  the  review.  By  order 
of  W.  T.  Sherman,  Major-General. 

L.M.  Dayton,  Major  and  Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

General  Howard’s  Order. 

Headquarters  Army  of  the  Tennessee. 

Alexandria,  Va.,  May  22,  1865. 
General  orders  No.  11. 

In  accordance  with  instructions  received  from 


514 


APPENDIX  II 


Headquarters  of  the  Military  Division  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, the  Army  of  the  Tennessee  will  pass  in  re- 
view through  Washington  city  on  the  24th  instant, 
in  the  following  order,  viz  : 

1.  General  commanding  Army,  staff  and  escort. 

2.  The  first  regiment  Michigan  Engineers  and  First 
regiment  Missouri  Engineers,  Colonel  J.  B.  Yates, 
commanding,  (sic) 

3.  Fifteenth  Army  Corps,  Major-General  John  A. 
Logan,  commanding. 

4.  Seventeenth  Army  Corps,  Major-General  F.  P. 
Blair,  commanding. 

The  Artillery  of  the  Army  will  be  marched  by 
brigades  in  rear  of  the  infantry  of  each  corps,  and 
under  command  of  the  respective  chiefs  of  artillery 
for  the  corps.  If  the  width  of  the  streets  will  admit, 
batteries  will  be  moved  battery  front. 

The  Army  will  march  on  the  23d  instant  from  its 
present  camp  to  the  neighborhood  of  the  Long 
Bridge,  and  will  there  be  put  in  bivouac  for  the  night. 
The  troops  will  be  supplied  with  two  days’  cooked 
rations,  in  haversacks,  and  will  march  in  review 
without  knapsacks. 

At  daylight  on  the  24th  instant  the  Army  will  com- 
mence crossing  the  Long  Bridge,  with  Engineer 
regiments  in  advance,  and  will  move  by  Maryland 
avenue  to  the  north  and  east  of  the  Capitol,  massing 
in  streets  contiguous  to  the  line  of  march. 

The  Engineer  regiments  will  form  on  North  Capi- 
tol street — head  of  column  opposite  to  the  northern 
entrance  to  the  Capitol  grounds — prepared  to  wheel 
into  Pennsylvania  avenue  precisely  at  nine  A.M. 

The  Fifteenth  Army  corps,  Major-General  John  A. 
Logan  commanding  will  be  formed  on  Maryland 


APPENDIX  II. 


515 


avenue  with  head  of  column  near  the  northern  en- 
trance to  the  Capitol  grounds,  prepared  to  move  in 
the  rear  of  the  Engineer  regiments. 

The  Seventeenth  Army  Corps,  Major-General  F.  P. 
Blair  commanding,  will  be  formed  on  East  Capitol 
street,  prepared  to  move  in  rear  of  the  Fifteenth 
Army  corps. 

The  line  of  march  will  be  up  Pennsylvania  avenue, 
past  the  President  s House  where  the  reviewing  offi- 
cer will  stand,  round  the  circle  and  then  by  K and 
Fourteenth  streets  to  camps  already  indicated  to 
corps  commanders. 

The  order  of  march  will  be  in  column  of  companies 
closed  in  mass,  right  in  front,  with  reduced  intervals 
between  regiments,  brigade  and  divisions.  Com- 
panies will  be  equalized  by  the  divisions,  and  when- 
ever they  fall  below  fifteen  files  the  battalion  will 
form  column  by  divisions,  Six  ambulances,  three 
abreast,  will  follow  each  brigade. 

The  troops  will  be  marched  at  shoulder  arms,  with 
fixed  bayonets,  after  passing  the  Treasury  Depart- 
ment, and  until  they  shall  have  crossed  Seventeenth 
street.  The  cadence  step  will  be  taken  from  the 
moment  the  head  of  the  column  moves  from  the 
Capitol.  All  colors  will  be  unfurled  during  the  entire 
march. 

Corps  and  division  commanders  are  particularly 
enjoined  to  move  their  commands  in  such  a manner 
as  will  insure  an  unbroken  and  unclogged  column, 
and  will  study  the  route  of  march,  prior  to  the  re- 
view, to  that  end. 

On  approaching  the  reviewing  officer  all  mounted 
officers  will  salute  and  none  other.  The  corps  and 
division  commanders  will,  after  passing  the  review- 


516 


APPENDIX  II. 


ing  officer,  dismount,  and,  accompanied  by  one  staff 
officer,  take  position  near  the  commanding  General 
of  the  Army  during  the  period  that  their  commands 
may  occupy  in  passing,  when  they  will  rejoin  their 
troops  and  conduct  them  to  their  camps.  No  other 
officer  than  those  above  mentioned  will  leave  the 
column. 

The  drum  corps  of  each  brigade  will  be  massed  at 
the  head  of  the  brigade,  and  will  wheel  out  of  column 
opposite  the  reviewing  officer  until  the  brigade  shall 
have  passed,  when  they  will  pass  from  position  in 
front  of  the  stand.  Brigade  bands  will  continue  at 
the  head  of  their  respective  brigades.  The  colors 
will  salute  by  drooping  on  passing  the  reviewing 
officer,  and  the  field  music  will  make  the  ruffle  with- 
out interrupting  the  march. 

Precisely  at  nine  A.  M.  a single  gun  will  be  fired 
by  one  of  the  advance  batteries,  when  the  column 
will  be  put  in  motion  as  heretofore  directed.  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel W.  H.  Ross,  chief  of  Artillery,  Fif- 
teenth Army  corps,  is  charged  with  the  execution  of 
this  paragraph. 

Suitable  camp  guards  will  be  left  in  charge  of  the 
camps,  and  the  trains  of  the  Corps  will  commence 
crossing  the  Potomac  after  the  review  shall  have 
passed. 

By  command  of 

Major-General  O.  O.  Howard. 

A.  M.  Van  Dyke,  Assistant  Adjutant-General. 
Official,  A.  M.  Van  Dyke,  Assistant  Adjutant- 
General. 

COMPOSITION  OF  THE  ARMY. 

Maj.-Gen.  W.  T.  Sherman,  commanding. 

Staff:  Brigadier  General,  J.  D.  Webster,  Chief  of 


APPENDIX  II. 


517 


Staff ; Brevet  Major  General  Barry,  Chief  of  Artil- 
lery ; Brigadier  General  Beckwith,  Chief  Commis- 
sary of  Subsistence  ; Brigadier  General  Easton,  Chief 
Quartermaster ; Col.  O.  M.  Poe,  Chief  Engineer ; 
Colonel  Lawyer,  Assistant  Adjutant  General ; Lieu- 
tenant Colonel  J.  L.  Baylor,  Ordnance  Officer  ; Lieu- 
tenant Colonel  Gaeber,  Quartermaster ; Colonel  Moore, 
Medical  Director  ; Major  L.  M.  Dayton,  Assistant 
Adjutant  General,  Majors  McCoy,  N.  Nichols  and 
Audenreid,  Captains  Dickson,  Merritt  and  Marshall, 
Aids-de-Camp ; Captain  Backtell,  Chief  Signal 
Officer ; Lieutenant  Connelly,  Assistant  Engineer 
Officer. 

Army  of  the  Tennessee. 

Major  General  John  A.  Logan  (late  Major-General 

0.  O.  Howard),  commanding: 

Staff:  Lieut. -Col.  Max  Woodhull,  Asst.  Adj.- 
General  ; Major  John  S.  Hoover,  Senior  A.  D.  C,  ; 
Lieut.  Col.  S.  D.  Nichols,  4th  Iowa  Infantry,  A.  A. 

1.  G.;  Major  R.  Niccolla,  Surgeon  U.  S.  V.,  Medical 
Director  ; Major  John  M.  Woodworth,  Surgeon  First 
Illinois  artillery,  Medical  Inspector;  Major  A.  C. 
Perry,  52d  Illinois  Infantry,  A.  A.  D.  C.  ; Capt.  Wm. 
B.  Pratt,  A.  D.  C. ; Capt.  L.  B.  Mitchell,  A.  D.  C.  and 
A.  *******  Capt.  O.  C.  Powleson,  command- 
ing Ambulance  Corps ; Maj.  F.  C.  Gillette,  Provost- 
Marshal  Capt.  F.  F.  Whitehead,  A.  A.  G.  U.  S.  V., 
A.  A.  D.  C. 

Engineer  Regiments  : The  First  Regiment  Michi- 
gan Engineers  and  First  Regiment  Missouri  Engi- 
neers, Col.  J.  B.  Yates,  commanding. 

Fifteenth  Army  Corps. 

Maj.  Gen.  Wm.  B.  Hazen  (late  Maj.  Gen.  Logan), 
commanding. 


518 


APPENDIX  II. 


Staff : Capt.  G.  Lapland,  A.  A.  G.  Capt.  C.  A. 
Eainerst,  A.  A.  I.  G. 

First  Division— Maj.  Gen.  C.  R.  Woods,  com- 
manding. 

Capt.  Fred.  H.  W.  Wilson,  A.  A.  Gen.  1st  Division. 
Capt.  A.  B.  Smith,  A.  A.  I.  G. 

First  Brigade — Brevet  Brig.  Gen.  W.  B.  Woods, 
commanding;  12th  Indiana,  Col.  Reuben  Williams 
commanding  ; 76th  Ohio,  Lieut.  Col.  Edward  Briggs, 
commanding  : 27th  Missouri,  Col.  Thomas  Cunly, 
commanding ; 31st  & 3d  Missouri,  Lieut.  Col.  A.  J. 
Seavy,  commanding  ; 93d  Illinois,  Lieut.  Col.  A.  C. 
Burrell,  comanding. 

Second  Brigade — Col.  R.  F.  Cattesin,  command- 
ing ; 40tli  Illinois,  Lieut.  Col.  II.  W.  Hall,  command- 
ing ; 46th  Ohio,  Lieut.  Col.  E.  N.  Upton,  command- 
ing ; 103d  Illinois,  Lieut.  Col,  Geo.  W.  Wright,  com- 
manding ; 6th  Iowa,  Lieut.  Col.  W.  IL.  Clune,  com- 
manding : 97th  Indiana,  Lieut.  Col.  N.  G.  Corvine, 
commanding  ; 26th  Illinois,  Lieut.  Col.  Ira  J.  Bloom- 
field ; 100th  Indiana,  Capt.  J.  W.  Headington,  com- 
manding. 

Third  Brigade  : Col.  George  A.  Stone,  command- 
ing : 4th  Iowa,  Major  A.  R.  Anderson ; 9tli  Iowa, 
Major  A.  Abernethy  ; 25th  Iowa,  Lieut.  Col.  D.  J. 
Palmer;  26th  Iowa,  Major  John  Stubbins;  30th 
Iowa,  Lieut.  Col.  A.  Roberts  ; 31st  Iowa,  Lieut.  Col. 
J.  W.  Jenkins. 

Second  Division — Major-Gen.  W.  B.  Hazen,  com- 
manding. 

First  Brigade — Col.  Theodore  Jones,  commanding  : 
6th  Missouri,  Capt.  H.  D.  Stephens ; 55th  Illinois, 
Captain  Charles  Audress ; 116th  Illinois,  Capt. 

Nicholas  Geschround ; 127th  Illinois,  Lieut.  Col. 


APPENDIX  II. 


519 


Frank  C.  Curlie  ; 30th  Ohio,  Lieut.  Col.  E.  P.  Brooks  ; 
57th  Ohio,  Lieut.  Col.  Samuel  R.  Mott : 10th  Iowa, 
Lieut.  Col.  Wm.  H.  Silsby  ; 17th  Iowa,  Capt.  Wm. 
Horner ; 80th  Ohio,  Capt.  Thos.  C.  Morris. 

Second  Brigade — Col.  Wm.  S.  Jones,  command- 
ing: 37th  Ohio,  Lieut. -Col.  Van  Blessingh  ; 47th 
Ohio,  Col.  N.  C.  Pang ; 53d  Ohio,  Capt.  Robert  Cur- 
ran ; 54th  Ohio,  Lieut. -Col.  J.  T.  Moore  : 83d  In- 
diana, Capt.  W.  N.  Cram ; llltli  Illinois,  Col.  James 
S.  Martin. 

Battalion — 26th  Missouri,  Capt.  T.  M.  Rice. 

Third  Brigade , — Brig.-Gen.  John  M.  Oliver,  com- 
manding : 15th  Michigan,  Lieut. -Col.  F.  S.  Hutchin- 
son ; 70th  Ohio,  Lieut. -Col.  H.  L.  Phillips ; 48th  Ill- 
inois, Lieut. -Col.  T.  L.  B.  Werner  ; 90th  Illinois, 
Lieut. -Col.  O.  Stuart ; 56th  Illinois,  Lieut. -Col.  J.  P. 
Hall ; 99th  Indiana,  Capt.  J.  Fairar. 

Fourth  Division.  — Brevet  Major-Gen.  John 
M.  Corse,  commanding : Capt.  L.  K.  Everets,  Asst. 
Adjt.-Gen.  ; Capt.  Chas.  Rateray,  Act. -Asst. -Insp.- 
Gen. 

First  Brigade — Brig.-Gen.  E.  W.  Rice,  command- 
ing : 2d  Iowa,  Col.  N.  B.  Howard ; 7th  Iowa,  Lieut. - 
Col.  J.  C.  Parrott ; 66th  Indiana.  Lieut. -Col.  R.  Mar- 
tin ; 52d  Illinois,  Lieut.-Col.  J.  D.  Davis  ; 12th  Ill- 
inois, Lieut.-Col.  H.  Vanseller. 

Second  Brigade — Brig.-Gen.  W.  T.  Clark,  com- 
manding : 81st  Ohio,  Col.  R.  N.  Adams  ; 50th  In- 
diana, Lieut.-Col.  F.  A.  McNaught ; 18th  Wiscon- 
sin, Lieut.-Col.  Chas.  H.  Jackson  ; 63d  Illinois,  Capt. 
J.  R.  Sandford  ; 43d  Indiana,  Capt.  N.  Bingham. 

Third  Brigade — Col.  R.  Rorrett,  commanding: 
7tli  Illinois,  Lieut.-Col.  H.  Perrin  ; -39th  Iowa.  Lieut.- 
Col.  J.  M.  Griffith  ; 50th  Illinois,  Lieut.-Col.  Wm- 


520 


APPENDIX  II. 


Hanna  ; 57th  Illinois,  Major  F.  A.  Batty ; 66th  Ill- 
inois, Capt.  D.  C.  Gamble. 

Artillery  Brigade — Lieut. -Col.  Wm.  H.  Ross,  com- 
manding : F.  J.  Fairbrass,  Asst. -Act.  Adj.-Gen.; 
Battery  H.,  1st  Illinois  Light  Artillery,  Capt.  Francis 
Degrus  ; 12th  Wisconsin  Battery,  Capt.  Wm.  Dyick- 
erick ; Battery  B,  1st  Michigan  Artillery,  Capt.  A. 
F.  R.  Arndt ; Battery  B,  1st  Missouri  Light  Artil- 
lery, Capt.  C.  M.  Callahan. 

Seventeenth  Army  Corps. 

Major-Gen.  Frank  P.  Blair,  Jr.,  commanding. 
Staff  : Lieut. -Col.  C.  Cadle,  Jr.  A.  A. -Gen.;  Lieut. - 
Col.  A.  Hickenlooper,  A. I. -Gen.  ; Lieut. -Col.  E.  M. 
Joel,  Chief  Q.M. ; Lieut.-Col.  J.  H.  W.  Mills,  Chief 
C.S.  ; Lieut.-Col.  J.  H.  Boucher,  Medical  Director  ; 
Major  Logan  Tompkins,  Senior  A.D.C. ; Capt.  Richard 
Steele,  A.D.C.  ; Capt.  William  Henley,  A.D.C.  ; 
Lieut.-Col.  T.  D.  Kirby,  Packet  officer  ; Major  J.  C. 
Marven,  Provost  Marshal ; Capt.  C.  M.  Roberts,  C.M.; 
Capt.  William  E.  Ware,  A.A.A.-Gen. 

First  Division— Brig.-Gen.  Manning  F.  Force, 
commanding. 

Capt.  S.  R.  Adams,  A.  A. -Gen.  ; Capt.  A.  Kochne, 
A.A.I.G. 

First  Brigade — Brig.-Gen.  John  W.  Fuller,  com- 
manding : 18th  Missouri  V.Y.  Infantry,  Col.  C.  S. 
Sheldon,  commanding ; 27th  Ohio  V.Y.  Infantry, 
Major  J.  N.  Gibruth,  commanding  : 39th  Ohio,  V.V. 
Infantry,  Lieut.-Col.  Daniel  Weber,  commanding : 
64th  Illinois  V.V.  Infantry,  Major  J.  S.  Reynolds, 
commanding. 

Second  Brigade — Brig.-Gen.  J.  W.  Sprague,  com- 
manding : 25th  Wisconsin  V.  Infantry,  Lieut.-Col. 


APPENDIX  II. 


521 


J.  M.  Rusk,  commanding:  35th  New  Jersey  V.V. 
Infantry,  Col.  John  J.  Cladeck,  commanding : 43d 
Ohio  V.V.  Infantry,  Capt.  John  H.  Rhodes,  com- 
manding: 63d  Ohio  V.V.  Infantry,  Major  O.  L. 
Jackson,  commanding. 

Third  Brigade — Brevet  Brig.-Gen.  John  Tillson, 
commanding:  10th  Illinois  V.  V.  Infantry,  Lieut. 
Col.  D.  Gillespie,  commanding  : 25th  Indiana  V.  V.  In- 
fantry, Lieut.-Col.  James  S.  Wright,  commanding  : 
32d  Wisconsin  V.  Infantry,  Lieut.-Col.  Joseph  H.  Car- 
leton,  commanding  : 

Third  Division — Brevet  Major-Gen.  Mortimer  D. 
Leggett  commanding. 

Capt.  John  C.  Douglass,  A.  A.  Gen.  ; Major  J.  C. 
Robinson,  A.  A.  I.  Gen. 

First  Brigade-— Brig.-Gen.  Charles  R.  Ewing,  com- 
manding: 16th  Wisconsin  V.  V.  Infantry,  Col.  C. 
Fairchilds  ; 45th  Illinois  V.  V.  Infantry,  Lieut.-Col. 
John  O.  Duer  ; 31st  Illinois  V.  V.  Infantry,  Lieut.- 
Col.  R.  N.  Pearson  commanding  : 20th  Illinois  V.  V. 
Infantry,  Capt.  Henry  King  ; 30th  Illinois  V.  V.  In- 
fantry, Capt.  J.  P.  Davis  ; 12tli  Wisconsin  V.  V.  In- 
fantry, Col.  James  K.  Proudfit. 

Second  Brigade — Brig.-Gen.  Robert  K.  Scott,  com- 
manding : 20tli  Ohio  V.  V.  Infantry,  Lieut.-Col. 
Harry  Wilson  ; 68th  Ohio  V.  V.  Infantry,  Lieut.- 
Col.  George  E.  Welles ; 78th  Ohio  V.  V.  Infantry, 
Col.  G.  F.  Wiles;  17th  Wisconsin  V.  V.  Infantry, 
Col.  A.  G.  Malloy. 

Fourth  Division — Brevet  Major-Gen.  Giles  A. 
Smith,  commanding. 

Capt.  Ad.  Ware,  Jr.  A.  A.  Gen.  ; Major  C.  H.  Brush, 
A.  A.  I,  Gen. 

First  Brigade — Brig.-Gen.  Ben  j.  F.  Potts,  command- 


522 


APPENDIX  II. 


ing  : 23d  Indiana  V.  V.  Infantry,  Capt.  J.  W.  Ham- 
mond ; 32d  Ohio  V.  V.  Infantry,  Lieut. -Col.  Jeff.  J. 
Hibbetts ; 53d  Indiana  V.  V.  Infantry,  Col.  J.  L. 
Vestal ; 63d  Illinois  V.  V.  Infantry,  Col.  J.  W. 
McClanahan. 

Second  Brigade : Brig.-Gen.  C.  J.  Stolbrand,  com- 
manding : 14th  Illinois  V.  V.  Infantry,  Col.  Cyrus 
Hall ; 15th  Illinois  Infantry,  Col.  George  C.  Rogers  ; 
32d  Illinois  V.  V.  Infantry,  Lieut. -Col.  George  E. 
English. 

Third  Brigade — Brig.-Gen.  William  W.  Belknap, 
commanding:  11th  IowaV.  V.  Infantry.  Lieut. -Col. 
Benjamin  L.  Beach ; 13th  Iowa  V.  V.  Infantry, 
Lieut. -Col.  J.  C.  Kennedy  ; 15th IowaV.  V.  Infantry, 
Lieut. -Col.  George  Pomutz ; 16th  Iowa  V.  V.  Infan- 
try, Major  J.  H.  Smith. 

Artillery — Major  Frederick  Welker,  Chief  of  Artil- 
lery. 

Battery  C,  1st  Michigan  Light  Artillery,  Capt.  Wm. 
W.  Hyzer ; 1st  Minnesota  Battery,  Capt.  W.  Z.  Clay- 
ton ; 15th  Ohio  Battery,  Capt.  James  Burdick  ; 9th 
Illinois  Mounted  Infantry,  Lieut. -Col.  S.  T.  Hughes  ; 
135th  U.  S.  C.  T.,  Col.  John  E.  Gurley,  commanding  : 

Army  of  Georgia. 

Major-Gen.  H.  W.  Slocum,  commanding. 

Staff:  Lieutenant-Colonel  M.  Rochester  and  Major 
R.  P.  Dechert,  Assistant  Adjutant  Generals  ; Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel E.  W.  Guindon  ; Majors  W.  W.  Moseley 
and  W.  G.  Tracy  Aids-de-camp  ; Lieutenant-Colonel 
P.  M.  Horn,  Inspector ; Major  J.  A.  Reynolds,  Chief 
of  Artillery  ; Captains  H.  W.  Howgate  and  Ben.  For- 
aker,  Signal  Officers ; Captain  W.  H.  Mickle,  Artil- 
lery Adjutant. 


APPENDIX  II. 


523 


Fourteenth  Army  Corps. 

Brevet  Major-General  Jeff.  C.  Davis,  of  Indiana, 
commanding. 

Staff:  Lieutenant-Colonel  A.  C.  McClurg,  Assistant 
Adjutant  General  and  Chief  of  Staff  ; Captain  John  F. 
Squier,  Aid-de-camp  ; Captain  George  W.  Smith,  Aid- 
de-Camp  ; Lieutenant-Colonel  H.  G.  Litchfield,  As- 
sistant Inspector-General ; Major  W.  C.  Daniels, 
Medical  Director  ; Major  Charles  Haughtelling,  Chief 
of  Artillery ; Major  John  B.  Lee,  Provost  Marshal; 
Captain  J.  E.  Remington,  Chief  Quartermaster  ; Cap- 
tain J.  Van  Bruner,  Chief  Commissary  of  Subsistence  ; 
Captain  Jesse  Fulmer,  Commissary  of  Musters  ; Cap- 
tain John  C.  Martin,  Staff  Quartermaster ; Captain 
A.  L.  Messmore,  Staff  Commissary  of  Subsistence. 

Third  Division — Brevet  Major-General  Absalom 
Baird,  commanding : 

Staff : Captain  J.  W.  Acheson,  Assistant  Adjutant 
General ; Major  J.  A.  Connolly,  Acting  Inspector- 
General,  Major  John  Moulton,  Provost  Marshal  ; Ma- 
jor Charles  N.  Fowler,  Chief  Surgeon  ; Captain  Jacob 
Kline,  Acting  Commissary  of  Musters  ; Captain  Wil- 
liam B.  Biddle,  Acting  Ordnance  Officer ; Captain 
M.  B.  W.  Harman,  Acting  Assistant  Quartermaster  ; 
Lieutenant  Osborne,  Acting  Commissary  of  Subsis- 
tence. 

Third  Brigade — Brigadier-General  Green,  com- 
manding : 

Staff : Captain  William  B.  Jacob,  Acting  Inspector- 
General  ; Captain  William  B.  Pugh,  Assistant  Ad- 
jutant-General ; Captain  J.  White,  Acting  Assistant- 
Quartermaster  ; Captain  Dexter  Horton,  Commissary 
of  Subsistence  ; Captain  J.  B.  Newton,  Provost 
Marshal ; Lieutenant  J.  F.  McNear,  Aid-de-camp. 


524 


APPENDIX  II. 


Regiments  : Eighteenth  Kentucky  ; Fourteenth 
Ohio  ; Thirty-eighth  Ohio  ; Seventy-fourth  Indiana. 

First  Brigade — Colonel  McHunter,  commanding. 

Staff:  Captain  T.  R.  Thatcher,  Inspector  and  As- 
sistant Adjutant-General  ; Captain  George  F.  Waller, 
Topographical  Engineer ; Captain  J.  R.  Webber, 
Commissary  of  Subsistence  ; Lieutenant  J.  C.  Allen 
Worth,  Acting  Aid-de-camp ; Major  J.  D.  Colton, 
Chief-Surgeon. 

Regiments  : Twenty-third  Missouri ; Eighty-ninth 
Ohio  ; Ninety-second  Ohio  ; Thirty-first  Ohio  ; 
Eighty-second  Indiana  ; Seventeenth  Ohio. 

Second  Brigade — Colonel  Gleason,  commanding. 

Staff:  Captain  S.  Fortner, Acting  Assistant-General; 
Captain  M.  D.  Ellis,  Acting  Inspector-General  ; 
Lieutenant  H.  H.  Conner,  Acting  Assistant-Quarter- 
master ; Lieutenant  E.  T.  Montgomery,  commanding 
detachments. 

Regiments  : Second  Minnesota,  Colonel  J.  H. 
Bishop ; Seventy-fifth  Indiana,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
O’Brien  ; One  Hundred  and  First  Indiana,  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel Theo.  Doan ; Eighty-seventh  Indiana, 
Colonel  E.  P.  Hammond  ; One  Hundred  and  Fifth 
Ohio,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Geo.  F.  Perkins. 

Second  Division — Brevet  Major-General  James  D. 
Morgan,  commanding. 

Staff:  Captain  Theodore  Wiseman,  Assistant  Ad- 
jutant-General ; Major  Edward  Balwell,  Medical 
Director ; Captain  Robert  B.  Stinson,  Assistant  Ad- 
jutant-General ; Captain  J.  L.  Orr,  Commissary  of 
Subsistence ; Captain  Hiram  J.  Craft,  Provost- 
Marshal  ; Lieutenant  A.  L.  Coe,  Acting  Assistant- 
Quartermaster  ; Lieutenant  George  Scroggs,  Assist- 
ant-Commissary of  Musters ; Lieutenant  W.  H. 


APPENDIX  II. 


525 


Shoup,  Assistant  Ordnance  Officer. 

First  Brigade  : Brigadier-General  Wm.  Vandever 
of  Iowa,  commanding. 

Staff:  Major  W.  C.  Pace,  Chief  Surgeon  ; Captain 
J.  Walter  Myers,  Acting  Assistant  Adjutant-Gen- 
eral ; Lieutenant  James  Stewart,  Aid-de-camp  and 
Acting  Assistant  Provost-Marshal  ; Lieutenant 
Samuel  L.  Dwight,  Acting  Aid-de-camp  ; Lieuten- 
ant Lucius  L.  King,  Acting  Assistant-Quartermaster, 
and  Acting  Commissary  of  Subsistence. 

Regiments  : Sixteenth  Illinois,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Charles  D.  Kerr  ; Seventeenth  New  York,  Major  A. 
S.  Marshall ; Sixtieth  Illinois,  Lieutenant-Colonel  G. 
W.  Evans  ; Tenth  Michigan,  Lieutenant-Colonel  W. 
H.  Dunphy  ; Fourteenth  Michigan,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  G.  W.  Grummond. 

Second  Brigade — Brigadier-General  John  G.  Mc- 
Mitchell  of  Ohio,  commanding. 

Staff:  Captain  J.  S.  Wilson,  Assistant  Adjutant- 
General  ; Captain  W.  C.  Robinson,  Assistant  Adjut- 
ant-General; Captain  L.  S.  Windle,  Acting  Aid-de- 
camp  ; Lieutenant  Robert  McGonagle,  Acting 
Aid-de-camp  ; Major  A.  Zipperlen,  Chief  Surgeon  ; 
Captain  Joseph  Swisher,  Acting  Assistant-Quarter- 
master ; Lieutenant  O.  M.  Scott,  Acting  Ordnance 
Officer  ; Lieutenant  John  B.  Latter,  Acting  Commis- 
sary Subsistence. 

Regiments  : One  Hundred  and  Eighth  Ohio,  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel James  Good  ; One  Hundred  and  Six- 
teenth Ohio,  Captain  Toland  Jones  % One  Hundred 
and  Twenty-first  Ohio,  Lieutenant-Colonel  A.  B. 
Robinson  ; Thirty-fourth  Illinois,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
P.  Edge  ; Seventy-eighth  Illinois,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
M.  R.  V ernon  ; N inety-eighth  Ohio,  Major  D.  E.  Bootch. 


52G 


APPENDIX  II. 


Third  Brigade — Lieutenant-Colonel  J.  W.  Langley, 
commanding. 

Staff : Captain  W.  M.  Tanner,  Assistant  Adjutant- 
General  ; Captain  J.  W.  Burkhalter,  Assistant  In- 
spector-General ; Captain  G.  McCantrell,  Aid-de- 
Camp ; Lieutenant  A.  J.  Coula,  Provost-Marshal ; 
Major  M.  M.  Hooton,  Chief  Surgeon  ; Lieutenant  J. 
M.  Batchelor,  Acting  Assistant-Commissary  of 
Subsistence  and  Lieutenant  A.  M.  Ayers,  Acting 
Assistant-Quartermaster. 

Regiments : Fifty-second  Ohio,  Major  J.  F. 
Holmes ; One  Hundred  and  Twenty-fifth  Illinois, 
Captain  G.  W.  Cook  ; Eighty-fifth  Illinois,  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel J.  R.  Griffeth  ; Twenty-second  Indiana, 
Major  Thomas  Shea  ; Eighty-sixth  Illinois,  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel A.  L.  Fahnestock. 

First  Division— Brigadier-General  C.  C.  Wal- 
cott, of  Ohio,  commanding. 

Staff : Captain  J.  E.  Edmunds,  Acting  Assistant 
Adjutant-General ; Lieutenant  W.  S.  Johnston,  Aid- 
de-Camp ; Major  J.  F.  Reeve,  Chief  Surgeon  ; Cap- 
tain Fred.  L.  Clarke,  Assistant-Quartermaster ; 
Captain  E.  F.  Deaton,  Commissary  Subsistence  ; 
Captain  George  H.  Tracy,  Assistant-Commissary  of 
Musters  ; Captain  D.  W.  Benham,  Ordnance  Officer  ; 
Captain  J.  C.  Taylor,  Assistant  Inspector-General ; 
Lieutenant  W.  D.  Putnam,  Provost-Marshal ; Lieu- 
tenant O.  C.  Townsend,  Acting  Assistant-Quarter- 
master. 

Second  Brigade — Brevet  Brigadier-General  Geo.  P. 
Buell,  commanding. 

Staff:  Captain  Tom  G.  Stevenson,  A.  A.  A.  G.  ; 
Captain  George  W.  Rowe,  Provost-Marshal  ; Major 
John  Avery,  Chief  Surgeon  ; Captain  Albert  E.  Barr, 


APPENDIX  It 


527 


A.  C.  S.  ; Captain  Henry  Ludden,  A.  I.  G.  ; Lieuten- 
ant Zach.  Jones,  A.  D.  C.  ; Lieutenant  L.  E.  Chena- 
worth,  A.  A.  Q.  M. 

Regiments  : Seventy-fourth  Ohio,  Major  R.  P. 
Finaley  ; Thirteenth  Michigan,  Colonel  J.  H.  Culver  ; 
Sixty-ninth  Ohio,  Lieutenant-Colonel  J.  H.  Brigham; 
Twenty-first  Michigan,  Lieutenant-Colonel  L.  D. 
Bishop. 

Third  Brigade — Colonel  H.  A.  Hambright,  com- 
manding. 

Staff:  Lieutenant  L.  G.  Bodie,  A.  A.  G.;  Major  D. 
S.  Young,  Chief  Surgeon  ; Captain  R.  M.  Dysart, 
A.  A.  I.  G. ; Captain  N.  Willard,  C.  S.;  Lieutenant 
R.  McFadden,  Provost  Marshal  and  Ordnance  Of- 
ficer ; Lieutenant  Louis  Zecher,  A.  A.  Q.  M. 

Regiments : Thirty-eighth  Indiana,  Colonel  D.  Y. 
Patton  ; Twenty-first  Ohio,  Lieutenant-Colonel  A. 
McMahon  ; Seventy-ninth  Pennsylvania,  Lieutenant 
Colonel  D.  Miles. 

Corps  Artillery — Major  Houghtaling,  comman- 
ding. 

Batteries:  Third  Wisconsin,  Captain  McKnight ; 
Battery  I.  Second  Illinois  ; Battery  C.  First  Illinois, 
Lieutenant  Sewell. 

First  Brigade — Brevet  Brigadier-General  H.  C. 
Hobart,  commanding. 

Staff:  Captain  John  W.  Ford,  Acting  Assistant 
Adjutant-General  ; Captain  S.  H.  Sherlock,  Assist- 
ant Adjutant-General ; Captain  A.  J.  Rogers,  Pro- 
vost Marshal ; Lieutenant  Charles  W.  Whitaker, 
Aid-de-camp;  Captain  B.  J.  Van  Valkenburgh,  Act- 
ing Quartermaster ; Captain  J.  E.  Stewart,  Acting 
Commissary  Subsistence. 

Regiments:  Ninety-fourth  Ohio,  Major  Wm.  H, 


528 


APPENDIX  II. 


Snyder  ; Eighty-eighth  Indiana,  Lieutenant  Colonel 
C.  E.  Bryant ; Thirty-third  Ohio,  Major  C.  Henson  ; 
Forty-second  Indiana,  Major  G.  It.  Kellara  ; Twenty- 
first  Wisconsin,  Lieutenant-Colonel  W.  H.  Fitch  ; 
One  Hundred  and  Fourth  Illinois,  Lieutenant  Col- 
onel Papernon. 

Twentieth  Army  Corps. 
Major-General  Jos.  A.  Mower,  commanding. 
Staff:  Lieutenant-Colonel  H.  W.  Perkins  and 
Lieutenant  Charles  Moyer,  Assistant  Adjutant  Gen- 
erals ; Major  DeGrass,  Captain  Christiansen,  Lieu- 
tenant Luke  O’Reilly,  Aids ; Lieutenant  Colonel 
LeDuc,  Quartermaster;  Lieutenant  Colonel  Bullock, 
Chief  Commissary  of  Subsistence  ; Major  Parks, 
Provost  Marshal ; Captain  E.  Schilling,  Engineer  ; 
Captain  Cameron,  Inspector. 

First  Division — Brevet  Major  General  A.  S.  Wil- 
liams of  Michigan  and  staff. 

First  Brigade  Band. 

First  Brigade — Brevet  Brigadier-Gen.  James  L. 
Selfridge,  commanding  and  staff  : 123rd  New  York 
Vols.,  Col.  James  C.  Rogers,  commanding ; 141st 
New  York  Vols.,  Lieut.  Col.  Andrew  J.  McNett, 
commanding  ; 5th  Connecticut  Vols.,  Lieut.  Col. 
Henry  W.  Daboll,  commanding  ; 46th  Pennsylvania 
Vet.  Vols.,  Major  Patrick  Griffeth,  commanding. 
Second  Brigade  Band. 

Second  Brigade — Brevet  Brigadier-Gen.  Hawley, 
commanding  ; 107th  New  York  Vols.,  Col.  N.  M. 
Crane,  commanding  : 150th  New  York  Vols.,  Col.  A. 
B.  Smith;  13th  New  York  Vols.,  Capt.  J.  Harvey; 
2d  Massachusetts  Vols.,  Lieut.  Col.  C.  F.  Morse,  3d 
Wisconsin  Vels.,  Lieut.  Col.  G.  W.  Stephenson, 


APPENDIX  II. 


529 


Third  Brigade  Band. 

Third  Brigade— Brigadier-Gen.  J.  S.  Robinson  (82d 
Ohio)  commanding  and  Staff:  82d  Ohio  Vet.  Vols., 
Col.  S.  J.  McGroarty ; 143d  N.  Y.  Vols.,  Col.  Horace 
Boughton  ; 32d  111.  Vols.,  Lieut. -Col.  Ed.  St.  Salmon; 
31st  Wis.  Vols.,  Lieut. -Col.  George  D.  Rogers  ; 101st 
111.  Vols.,  Lieut. -Col.  John  D.  Le  Sage. 

Second  Division— Brevet  Major-Gen.  John  W. 
Geary,  of  Pennsylvania  and  Staff. 

First  Brigade  Band. 

First  Brigade — Brevet  Brig-Gen.  A.  Pardes  Jr., 
commanding  and  Staff  : 147th  Penn. , Lieut. -Col.  John 
Craig;  29th  Ohio,  Lieut. -Col.  Jonas  Schoonover  ; 5th 
O.,  Lieut. -Col.  Robert  Kirkup  ; 66th  O.,  Lieut. -Col. 
John  T.  Mitchell ; 28th  Penn.,  Lieut.-Col.  James 
Fitzpatrick. 

Second  Brigade  Drum  Corps. 

Second  Brigade — Brigadier-Gen.  P.  H.  Jones  (for 
merly  154th  N.  Y.)  commanding  and  Staff;  33d 
New  Jersey,  Col.  George  W.  Mendel ; 49th  New 
York,  Col.  John T.  Lockman  ; 73d  Penn.,  Major  C.  H. 
Goebel  ; 154th  New  York,  Lieut.-Col.  L.  D.  Warner  ; 
134th  N.  Y.,  Lieut.-Col.  A.  H.  Jackson. 

Third  Brigade  Band. 

Third  Brigade — Brevet  Brigadier-Gen.  H.  A.  Bar- 
num  commanding  and  Staff  ; 29th  Penn.  Vet.  Vols., 
Col.  S.  M.  Zulick,  commanding;  111th  Penn.  Vet. 
Vols.,  Col.  Thomas  M.  Walker,  commanding  : 137th 
N.  Y.  Vol.,  Lieut.-Col.  K.  S.  Van  Moorhees,  com- 
manding; 102d  N.  Y.  Vet.  Vols.,  Lieut.-Col.  H.  S. 
Chatfield  commanding;  60th  N.  Y.  Vet.  Vols., 

34 


530 


APPENDIX  II. 


Lieut. -Col.  L.  S.  Wilson,  commanding  ; 149th  N.  Y. 
Vols.,  Major  N.  Grumbach,  commanding. 

Third  Division— Brevet  Major-Gen.  W.  G.  Ward, 
commanding,  and  Staff. 

First  Brigade  Band. 

First  Brigade  : Brevet  Brigadier-Gen.  Benj.  Har- 
rison, commanding  and  Staff  ; 70th  Ind.  Lieut. -Col. 
S.  Merrill ; 102d  111.,  Col.  F.  C.  Smith  ; 79th  O.,  Lieut. - 
Col.  A.  W.  Doan  ; 129th  111.,  Col.  H.  Case  ; 105th  111., 
Lieut. -Col.  E.  F.  Dutton. 

Second  Brigade  Band. 

Second  Brigade — Brevet  Brigadier-Gen.  Dan’l  Dus- 
tan  commanding  and  Staff  ; 33d  Ind.  (Vet.),  Lieut.  - 
Col.  Jas.  E.  Burton;  11th  Mich.,  Major  David  Ander- 
son ; 22d  Wis.,  Lieut. -Col.  Edward  Bloodgood  ; 85th 
Ind.,  Lieut.-Col.  Alex.  B.  Crane. 

Third  Brigade  Band. 

Third  Brigade — Brevet  Brigadier-Gen.  Wm.  Coggs- 
well  (formerly  of  2d  Mass.)  commanding  and  Staff  ; 
63d  O.  (Vet.)  Lieut.-Col.  Samuel  Hurst ; 136tli  N. 
Y.,  Col.  James  Wood  : 20th  Conn.,  Lieut.-Col.  P.  B. 
Buckingham  ; 26th  Wis.,  Lieut.  Col.  Fred  C.  Wink- 
ler; 33d  Mass.,  Lieut.,  Col.  Elisha  Doan;  55tli  O. 
(Vet.)  Lieut.  Col.  E.  H.  Powers. 

Artillery  Brigade — Capt.  Chas.  E.  Winegar,  com- 
manding ; Battery  “ E ” Independent  Pennsylvania 
Artillery,  Capt.  Thomas  S.  Sloan;  Battery  “I”  1st 
N.  Y.  Artillery,  Lieut.  Warren  L.  Scott ; Battery 
“C”  1st  O.  Artillery,  Lieut.  Jerome  B.  Stevens; 
Battery  “ M ” 1st  New  York  Artillery,  Lieut.  Edward 
P.  Newkirk. 


APPENDIX  III. 


THE  FIRST  DAY  OF  THE  GRAND  REVIEW 
DESCRIBED. 

Extract  from  the  “ Report  of  Proceedings  of  the 
Society  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac , Twenty  First 
Annual  Reunion  held  at  Portland,  Maine,  July  3d  and 
Jfh,  1890,''  as  printed  for  the  use  of  members  of  the 
Society. 

From  this  pamphlet,  at  its  pages  18  to  32,  inclusive 
is  taken  the  following  : 

ORATION. 

By  General  Francis  A.  Walker. 

Twenty-five  years  ago  on  the  23d  of  May  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  having  fought  a good  fight 
and  finished  its  course  with  honor,  passed  in  final 
review  before  the  President  of  the  United  States 
prior  to  disbandment. 

Upon  the  reviewing  stand  were  General  Grant, 
General  Sherman,  Secretary  Stanton,  and  other 
members  of  the  Cabinet,  Senators  Wilson,  Wade 
and  Sherman,  and  “ War  Governors  ” Buckingham, 
of  Connecticut,  Fenton,  of  New  York,  and  Andrew, 
of  Massachusetts. 

One  important  exception  only  there  was  to  the 
completeness,  the  personal  interest,  and  the  poetic 
justice  of  the  grand  review.  The  gallant  and  great 
hearted  Sixth  Corps,  under  Wright,  was  still  de- 

531 


532 


APPENDIX  III. 


tained  in  the  vicinity  of  its  old  battle-fields  ; but  its 
pickets  were  no  longer  disturbed  by  the  crack  of 
hostile  rifles  ; no  four  o’clock-in-the  morning  yell 
broke  the  well  earned  sleep  of  its  veteran  regiments. 
Peace  reigned  where  so  lately  raged  furious  war. 

The  weather  was  all  that  could  have  been  desired 
for  the  great  pageant  at  the  nation’s  Capitol.  The 
sky  was  clear,  the  air  cool,  and  a pleasant  breeze 
blew  steadily  throughout  the  day  from  the  north. 
The  head  of  column  moved  promptly  at  9 o’clock, 
and  for  six  full  hours  thereafter  that  fiery  flood  of 
living  valor  poured  along  Pennsylvania  Avenue. 

The  line  of  march  was  from  the  Capitol,  past  the 
head  of  the  street  which  leads  down  to  Long  Bridge, 
past  the  Treasury,  past  the  White  House,  where  Lin- 
coln had  watched  and  waited  through  four  years  of 
terrible  anxiety,  on  to  the  Georgetown  circle,  where 
the  column  parted,  and  the  troops  took  their  several 
ways  to  camp,  never  again  to  be  assembled  for 
pageant  or  battle. 

While  that  long  march  was  in  progress  a man  from 
a foreign  land,  an  officer  trained  to  arms  and  inured 
to  war,  who  had  seen  almost  every  army  of  Europe 
operating  in  the  field,  from  the  Crimea  to  the  Danish 
duchies,  and  had  known  all  the  great  captains  of  the 
day,  who  had  watched  the  course  of  the  civil  war  in 
America  with  both  a military  and  political  interest, 
and  had  made  himself  familiar  with  its  chief  names, 
whether  of  leaders  or  of  battlefields,  leaned  from  the 
balcony  of  a house  fronting  upon  the  avenue,  noting 
with  eager  attention  every  feature  of  that  mighty 
display. 

What  was  it  this  man  from  foreign  parts  saw? 
He  saw  a body  of  cavalry  highly  unique,  little  like 


APPENDIX  III. 


533 


any  other  on  which  his  eyes  had  fallen,  yet  more  for- 
midable to  a foe  than  any  equal  number  of  horsemen 
who  ever  rode  together  into  battle.  Those  stern  and 
serried  ranks  owed  almost  nothing  to  the  drill 
sergeant,  still  less  to  the  riding  master.  Those  grim 
troopers  had  been  trained  but  little  in  camp  or  bar- 
rack. In  some  cases  they  had  actually  been  mus- 
tered in  the  field.  In  all,  they  had  there  learned 
everything  of  practical  value  which  they  knew. 
Of  the  few  precepts  relating  to  the  theory  and  prac- 
tice of  modern  warfare  which  had  been  taught  them, 
they  had,  on  trial,  rejected  more  than  they  had 
retained.  Little  by  little  traditions  and  prescriptions 
had  dropped  out.  Little  by  little  the  severe  experi- 
ences of  a war  of  unexampled  activity  and  ferocity 
had  built  the  American  cavalry  up  to  an  extraordi- 
nary efficiency.  It  was  in  the  presence  of  the 
enemy  and  under  the  pressure  of  actual  service 
that  the  soldier  acquired  his  seat,  the  officer  his 
tactics. 

Hammered  into  shape  by  hard  blows,  in  the  white 
heat  of  battle,  the  cavalry  which  that  day  rode  at 
the  head  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  represented 
the  utmost  which  human  daring  and  skill  could  do 
in  a mounted  service.  They  had  invented  the  raid, 
that  hitherto  unknown  instrument  of  war,  and  had 
developed  all  its  capabilities.  They  had  compassed 
long  and  rapid  marches,  cut  their  way  through 
forests,  bridged  streams  or  swam  them,  skirmished  in 
thick  woods  amid  tangled  under-growth,  demon- 
strated as  infantry  upon  the  flanks  of  the  enemy,  and 
when  necessity  arose  had  fought  with  infantry  upon 
equal  terms,  mounted  or  on  foot.  Beginning  with 
no  technical  discipline  and  generally  unaccustomed 


534 


APPENDIX  III. 


to  the  saddle,  they  had  encountered  at  a grave  dis- 
advantage the  choicest  body  of  native  horsemen  the 
world  had  seen,  the  very  flower  of  the  Southern 
chivalry,  led  by  captains  as  brave  as  ever  rode  light 
hearted  into  battle  ; but  gradually  the  grim  Northern 
temper,  and  the  stern  experiences  of  four  years  of 
continuous  campaigning,  had  brought  them  the  mas- 
tery. 

The  man  from  foreign  parts  saw,  too,  an  artillery 
hardly  less  notable  for  the  degree  in  which  it  had 
made  itself,  or  for  the  efficiency  it  had  attained 
through  long  and  trying  service. 

But  it  was  as  the  great  infantry  column  of  ten 
divisions  came  into  view  that  his  interest  rose 
to  its  height,  and  he  scanned  the  quickly  suc- 
ceeding ranks  of  coarsely  dressed  soldiery  with 
intensest  gaze.  This,  then,  was  the  infantry  that 
had  for  four  long  and  bloody  years  battled  with 
the  superb  army  of  Northeastern  Virginia,  alike 
in  dark,  tangled,  and  swampy  forests  like  those 
of  the  Chickahominy,  the  Po,  and  Hatcher’s  Run, 
and  upon  picturesque  and  theatrical  fields,  like  those 
of  Sharpsburg,  Fredericksburg,  and  Gettysburg. 
Here  were  troops  which  had  fought  battles  more 
bloody  than  Borodino  and  Waterloo,  corps  which  had 
dropped  one-third  their  number  in  a single  contest, 
where  individual  divisions  lost  one  half,  brigades  two- 
thirds,  regiments  three-fourths  of  all  they  had 
carried  into  action.  Here  were  soldiers  who  had  on 
three  successive  days  engaged  the  enemy  with 
unfaltering  spirit  and  unimpaired  discipline,  their 
conduct  but  rising  to  sublimer  heights  of  courage 
and  devotion  as  their  ranks  grew  thinner  and  thinner. 
This  was  the  magnificent  Northern  infantry  which 


■ , -5 


APPENDIX  III. 


535 


had,  after  a struggle  unparalleled  in  warfare,  con- 
quered and  captured  the  magnificent  infantry  of 
Lee. 

While  thus  this  scholar  and  soldier  from  another 
clime  and  of  another  race  watched  with  a cool, 
critical,  yet  earnest  gaze  the  march  of  that  mighty 
column,  a pale  young  Union  officer  of  artillery,  with 
an  empty  sleeve,  stood  upon  the  sidewalk  along 
Lafayette  Square,  and  scanned  with  eager,  recogniz- 
ing eyes  each  rank  as  it  wheeled  to  the  left  out  of 
Fifteenth  Street,  and  took  its  new  direction  past  his 
post  of  observation. 

He  knew  that  army  well.  The  exigencies  of  ser- 
vice had  brought  his  battery  successively  into  the 
artillery  reserve,  and  into  the  artillery  brigades  of 
two  different  corps,  while  there  was  scarcely 
a division  of  the  army  on  to  whose  line  he 
had  not  galloped  with  his  guns  in  the  heat  of  some 
tremendous  action.  He  had  seen  every  leader  of 
renown  dash  along  the  front  of  battle,  now  into  the 
clouds  of  smoke,  now  out  of  the  clouds  of  smoke,  as 
the  fight  grew  fiercer  and  the  foemen  came  closer 
and  yet  closer.  Winning  credit  and  promotion 
with  each  campaign,  he  had  risen  to  the  command  of 
his  battery,  when  in  one  of  the  winter  expeditions 
of  1864-65  he  had  lost  an  arm,  only  returning  to  Wash- 
ington in  season  to  witness  the  great  review. 

What  was  it  that  this  young  officer  saw  upon  the 
23d  of  May,  1865?  Let  us  look  with  his  eyes,  as  we 
have  looked  upon  this  mighty  host  with  the  eyes  of 
a stranger  and  a foreigner.  He  has  no  “ Order  of 
the  Day  ” to  guide  his  mind,  and  it  is  with  eager 
curiosity  and  a fast  throbbing  pulse  as  he  gazes 
upon  each  quickly  succeeding  body  of  troops,  to 


536 


APPENDIX  III. 


gather  the  first  indication  of  its  identity,  and  to 
recognize,  if  he  may,  its  commander. 

The  long  continued  strains  of  martial  music, 
drawing  nearer  and  nearer,  have  wrought  expecta- 
tion to  its  height,  when  there  wheels  from  Fifteenth 
Street  into  the  avenue  the  brilliant  headquarters 
staff.  There,  at  the  head  of  two  score  officers,  rides 
the  gallant  and  accomplished  soldier  who  has  com- 
manded the  army,  in  good  and  evil  fortune,  since 
the  leading  staff  fell  from  Hooker’s  hand  on  the 
march  to  Gettysburg,  twenty-three  months  before. 
Tall  and  gaunt,  scholarly  yet  knightly  in  aspect, 
Gen.  Meade,  on  this  proudest  day  of  his  life,  bears 
himself  like  a true  captain  who  has  struggled,  and 
has  conquered.  His  mistakes  have  been  all  made, 
his  defeats  have  been  all  suffered.  Only  victory 
remains  and  a fame  forever  secure. 

With  him  are  Webb,  Chief  of  Staff  ; Hunt,  the 
unrivaled  artillerist ; Batchelder,  Chief  Quarter- 
master ; and  Seth  Williams,  Adjutant-General,  who, 
through  all  the  bickerings  and  backbitings  which 
belong  to  headquarters,  through  all  the  rivalries  and 
jealousies  of  a half  dozen  campaigns,  has  borne  the 
unqualified  respect  of  every  commanding  officer 
below,  and  the  absolute  confidence  of  all  successive 
leaders  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

Eleadquarters  have  passed,  a moment  of  suspense 
follows,  and  then  with  full  company  front,  the  mag- 
nificent cavalry  corps,  Sheridan’s  daring  raiders, 
Sheridan’s  desperate  fighters,  wheel  into  view.  The 
great  captain  is  not  with  it  to-day.  He  has  gone, 
post  haste,  to  the  Rio  Grande,  to  serve  notice  upon 
the  French  invader  that  the  violent  and  insolent 
usurpation,  which  had  presumed  the  disruption  of 


APPENDIX  III. 


537 


the  great  republic  of  the  West,  must  now  be  totally 
and  at  once  abandoned.  In  Sheridan's  place,*  and 
no  less  full  of  fire  and  fight,  rides  his  favorite  lieu- 
tenant, Wesley  Merritt,  worthy  successor  to  such  a 
chief,  worthy  leader  of  such  a host.  Eight  thousand 
sabers  strong,  the  cavalry  corps  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  this  day  receives  a full  measure  of  applause 
in  recompense  for  all  its  scouting  and  marching,  its 
watching  and  picketing,  its  raiding  and  fighting. 
- From  sidewalk  to  housetop,  the  whole  city  of  Wasli- 
‘ ington,  re-enforced  by  spectators  from  all  over  the 
Northern  land,  shouts  itself  hoarse  as  regiment  after 
regiment,  brigade  after  brigade  of  gallant  horsemen, 
bronzed  by  Virginia  suns,  pass  up  the  Avenue. 
Here  rides  the  magnificent  Custer,  little  reckoning  in 
that  proud  moment  of  an  early  and  a hideous  death 
amid  the  fiendish  yells  of  a horde  of  naked  savages. 
There  rides  stout  Davies.  There,  gallant  Tom 
Devin.  For  an  hour  and  twenty  minutes  the  clank 
of  sabers  and  the  tramp  of  horse  fill  the  air  as  the 
heroic  cavalry  of  Gaines  Mill  and  Chancellorsville, 
of  Brandy  Station  and  Aldie,  of  Gettysburg  and 
Yellow  Tavern,  of  Winchester  and  Fisher’s  Hill,  of 
Tom’s  Brook  and  Five  Forks,  of  Rice’s  Station  and 
Sailor’s  Creek,  ride  proudly  by. 

The  cavalry  are  gone,  and  gone  forever.  So  splen- 
did a muster  of  fighting  horsemen  will  never  again 
meet  the  eye  of  any  of  the  200.000  spectators  of  that 
May  morning.  The  cavalry  corps  of  the  Potomac 
army  has  said  good-by  to  President  and  to  Com- 

* Major-General  George  Crook,  the  next  in  rank,  would  have 
commanded  ; but  General  Crook  had  taken  a short  furlough 
during  a few  days  of  inactive  cavalry  work,  and  did  not  return 
in  season  for  the  review. 


538 


APPENDIX  III. 


manding  General,  and,  quickening  its  march,  fol- 
lowed by  the  horse  artillery  brigade,  briskly  makes 
its  way  to  the  Circle,  thence  northward  to  its 
camps. 

What  is  it  that  comes  next  in  column,  this  small 
command  of  mixed  cavalry  and  infantry?  Who  is 
the  youthful  officer  with  frank  and  manly  face, 
wearing  the  right  sleeve  pinned  upon  his  breast,  who 
rides  at  its  head  ? It  is  George  Macy,  of  the 
Twentieth  Massachusetts,  leading  the  Provost  Mar- 
shal General’s  brigade,  in  the  command  of  which  he 
had  seven  months  before  relieved  our  good  General 
Sharpe,  so  long  a chief  pillar  of  this  Society.  Two 
regiments  of  cavalry  and  two  battalions  of  regular 
infantry  follow  him,  and  then  conies  the  engineer 
brigade,  with  its  well  known  pontoons,  under  Ben- 
liam.  What  stories  those  pontoons  tell ! What  rec- 
ollections they  call  to  mind  as  they  go  lumbering 
by ! How  many  times  have  our  columns  streamed 
over  those  bridges  of  boats  in  the  joyous  advance 
or  in  the  sullen  retreat ! Do  you  remember  that  dull 
December  day  of  1362,  when  we  fought  our  way 
across  the  Rappahannock,  and  up  the  streets  of 
Fredericksburg  ? 

Do  you  remember  the  retreat  from  Chancellors- 
ville  amid  a fearful  downpour  and  over  a rapidly 
rising  river,  as  we  went  back  in  shame  and  rage 
from  that  splendid  initiative,  and  those  three  days 
of  bloody,  purposeless,  useless  fighting?  Was  it  at 
Ely’s  or  at  Germanna  Ford  that  you,  or  you,  crossed 
the  Rapidan  on  the  pontoons  in  the  opening  of  the 
great  campaign  of ’64?  What  sight  more  eloquent 
of  the  mingled  experiences  of  the  great  war,  its 
triumphs  and  its  reverses,  its  high  hopes  and  its 


APPENDIX  III. 


539 


shameful  disasters,  than  those  great  arks  of  things 
at  which  we  used  to  jeer  as  they  went  their  toilsome 
way  down  the  steep  and  clayey  river  banks  of  Vir- 
ginia ? 

And  now  a moment’s  suspense.  An  interval  suc- 
ceeds. Evidently  it  is  no  mere  detachment,  no  en- 
gineer or  provost  marshal's  brigade  which  is  taking 
its  time  in  the  great  march.  And  well  is  expecta- 
tion repaid  as,  with  a fresh  burst  of  martial  music, 
in  all  the  pomp  and  circumstances  of  glorious  war, 
the  noble  Ninth  Corps,  Burnside's  old  command,  led 
now  by  John  G.  Parke,  soldier,  scholar,  and  stain- 
less gentleman,  bursts  into  view.  Aye,  thunder 
forth  your  applause,  ye  windows  and  housetops  ! 
There  are  the  men  of  the  North  Carolina  expedition, 
the  men  of  Roanoke  and  Newberne,  who  came  up, 
under  Burnside  and  Reno,  to  re-enforce  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  in  its  dire  strait  at  the  second  Manassas 
and  Chantilly,  and  to  share  its  glories  at  South 
Mountain  and  Antietam.  These  are  the  men  of  Fort 
Sanders  and  Fort  Stedman,  of  Spottsylvania  and 
Bethesda  Church,  the  men  who,  on  the  25th  of 
March,  redeemed  the  day  that  had  been  lost,  and  in 
the  early  morning  of  the  2d  of  April  leaped  the 
Confederate  intrenchment  along  the  Jerusalem  Road 
and  answered  Sheridan’s  dispatches  from  Five  Forks 
with  news  of  the  fall  of  Petersburg. 

With  Parke,  as  division  commanders,  are  Orlando 
B.  Willcox,  of  Michigan,  Simon  G.  Griffin,  of  New 
Hampshire,  and  John  I.  Curtin,  of  Pennsylvania. 
And,  as  our  young  artillerist  scans  the  massive 
column,  his  eager  eye  discovers  the  Forty-eighth 
Pennsylvania,  which  dug  the  mine  at  Petersburg  ; 
the  famous  twin  regiments  of  the  North  Carolina 


540 


APPENDIX  III. 


battles,  the  Fifty-first  New  York  and  Fifty-first 
Pennsylvania ; the  veteran  regiments  of  Massachu- 
setts, the  Fifty-sixth,  Fifty -seventh,  Fifty-eighth 
and  Fifty-ninth,  and  that  fine  brigade  of  Western 
troops,  under  Col.  Samuel  Harriman,  comprising 
the  Seventeenth  and  Twenty-seventh  Michigan,  and 
the  Thirty-seventh  Wisconsin,  which  had  done  so 
much  to  teach  Western  dash  and  daring  to  the 
slower  but  not  less  steady  soldiers  of  the  Atlantic 
seaboard.  Here,  too,  are  such  fine  regiments  as  the 
Sixth,  Ninth  and  Eleventh  New  Hampshire  ; the 
Seventeenth  Vermont,  the  Thirty-fifth  and  Thirty- 
sixth  Massachusetts ; the  Seventy-ninth  and  One 
Hundred  and  Ninth  New  York,  and  the  Fourteenth 
Regiment  of  Heavy  Artillery  from  that  State  ; the 
Forty-fifth,  Fiftieth  and  One  Hundreth  Pennsyl- 
vania, the  First  Michigan  Sharpshooters  and  the 
Second  Michigan  Infantry. 

With  the  Ninth  Corps  this  day  marches  a division 
of  troops  that  are  not  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
but  which,  in  the  valley,  under  Sheridan,  have 
vindicated  their  claim  to  brotherhood  with  the 
bravest  and  best.  It  is  William  Dwight’s  division 
of  the  Nineteenth  Corps,  with  its  three  brigades 
under  Beal,  Davis  and  James  D.  Fessenden,  of 
Maine.  The  Ninth  Corps  column  is  appropriately 
closed  by  its  artillery  brigade,  under  Gen.  John  C. 
Tidball,  who  rendered  such  distinguished  services  at 
the  repulse  of  the  Confederates  on  the  25th  of 
March,  and  the  recapture  of  Stedman. 

Again  comes  the  pause  which  tells  that  nothing 
vulgar  or  commonplace  is  to  be  ushered  in.  Again 
a burst  of  music  fit  to  marshal  heroes  to  receive  the 
thanks  of  a restored,  redeemed,  triumphant  nation. 


APPENDIX  III. 


541 


and  the  splendid  Fifth  Corps,  fresh  from  Five  Forks, 
wheels  around  the  Treasury,  and,  with  the  cadence 
step,  advances  to  greet  the  President  and  Grant.  At 
its  head  to-day  is  not  the  gifted  young  soldier  whose 
prescience  saved  Gettysburg  to  the  Union  arms,  and 
who,  at  Bristoe,  turned  his  rear-guard  upon  both 
the  pursuing  columns  of  Lee.  Why  Warren  rides 
not  at  the  head  of  the  Fifth  Corps,  this  is  not  the 
time  or  place  to  ask  ; but  if  he  is,  indeed,  to  stand 
aside,  silent  and  mournful,  while  his  gallant  troops 
go  on  to  receive  the  thanks  of  a grateful  nation, 
surely  no  worthier  soldier  could  have  taken  his 
place  than  the  grim,  taciturn,  and  resolute  veteran, 
Charles  Griffin. 

Here  march  all  that  are  left  of  the  old  First  Corps, 
which  fought  under  the  accomplished  but  unsuc- 
cessful McDowell,  at  Groveton  and  Manassas, 
under  the  daring  and  impetuous  Hooker  at  Antie- 
tam,  under  John  F.  Reynolds  at  Fredericksburg, 
and  again  at  Gettysburg,  where,  on  the  first  of  July, 
that  most  able  and  heroic  officer  laid  down  his  life 
that  Cemetery  Ridge  might  be  held  for  the  troops 
fast  coming  up  to  that  greatest  battle  of  modern 
times. 

Beyond  Griffin,  too,  on  this  day  march  all  that  are 
left  of  the  old  Fifth  Corps,  which,  under  Fitz  John 
Porter,  bore  the  brunt  of  the  Confederate  assaults 
through  the  memorable  Seven  Days’  Battles  on  the 
Peninsula,  at  Gaines  Mill,  at  Glendale,  and  on  the 
heights  at  Malvern ; which  at  the  second  Bull 
Run,  upon  August  30,  under  the  same  gallant  and 
accomplished  leader  made  itself  an  immortal  name 
by  the  fury  of  its  attack,  and  the  stubborn  gallantry 
of  its  defense  ; and  at  Fredericksburg  under  Butter- 


542 


APPENDIX  III. 


field,  and  at  Gettysburg  under  Sykes,  added  fresh 
luster  to  its  ever  stainless  arms. 

Such  was  the  body  of  troops  which,  under  the 
personal  direction  of  the  Lieutenant-General,  War- 
ren led  into  the  greatest  campaign  of  1864-65,  and 
which,  all  the  way  from  Wilderness  to  Five  Forks, 
whether  at  Spottsylvania  or  on  the  North  Anna,  at 
Bethesda  Church  or  at  Cold  Harbor,  over  the  blood- 
stained intrenchments  of  Petersburg,  or  amid  the 
tangled  thickets  of  Hatcher’s  Run,  had  borne  itself 
as  became  the  renown  of  its  two  constituent  corps 
out  of  the  old  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

The  order  of  divisions  is  that  of  Chamberlain,  who 
led  his  gallant  regiment,  the  Twentieth  Maine,  in 
the  fierce  hand-to-hand  fight  that  raged  along  the 
sides  of  Little  Round  Top,  and  in  the  closing  strug- 
gle of  1865  swept  with  his  well  appointed  brigade 
over  the  Confederate  breastworks  on  the  White  Oak 
Road,  and  who  now  rides  at  the  head  of  the  old 
division  of  Morell  and  Griffin  ; then  comes  the  vet- 
eran division  of  Ayres,  brave  Ayres,  the  soul  of  duty, 
honor  and  courage,  ever  ready  and  resolute,  stoutest 
at  heart  when  the  hearts  of  others  fail,  and  finally 
the  division  of  Crawford. 

Conspicuous  among  the  many  gallant  regiments 
which  this  day  form  the  Fifth  Corps  column  are 
some  which,  by  reason  of  their  long  service,  sustained 
heroism  and  prodigious  losses,  can  never  be  men- 
tioned without  emotion.  These  are  the  Sixteenth 
and  Twentieth  Maine,  the  Thirty-second  Massachu- 
setts, the  Ninety-seventh,  One  Hundred  and  For 
tietli,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-sixth,  One  Hundred 
and  Forty-seventh  New  York,  the  Eleventh,  Eighty- 
third,  One  Hundred  and  Eighteenth,  One  Hundred 


APPENDIX  III. 


543 


and  Twenty-first,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-second, 
and  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-fifth  Pennsylvania,  the 
First  Maryland,  one  of  the  four  regiments  from  that 
State,  at  the  head  of  which  rides  Dennison  with  his 
empty  sleeve,  and  those  four  noble  Western  regi- 
ments, the  First  and  Sixteenth  Michigan,  the  Sixth 
and  Seventh  Wisconsin.  The  last  two  regiments 
named  belong  to  the  famous  brigade  of  the  old  First 
Corps  known  as  the  Iron  Brigade  from  the  West, 
out  of  which  five  regiments  there  fell  during  the 
war  not  less  than  1,131  men,  killed  or  wounded. 

With  two  of  the  regiments  I have  named,  the 
deadliest  day  had  been  Gaines  Mill ; with  two,  the 
second  Bull  Run ; with  one,  Antietam  ; with  one, 
Shepardstown  Ford ; with  three,  the  deadliest  day 
had  been  Fredericksburg ; with  two,  Gettysburg  ; 
with  two,  the  Wilderness;  with  one,  Spottsylvania. 
In  the  case  of  most  of  these  regiments  there  had 
been  one  special  day  of  terrible  trial,  when,  in  the 
crisis  of  some  desperate  battle,  the  configuration  of 
the  ground,  and  the  formation  of  the  opposing  lines 
at  just  that  point,  perhaps  also  the  misbehavior  of 
other  troops,  brought  upon  its  front  an  intolerable 
and  unimaginable  weight  of  fire,  when  men  dropped 
like  leaves  in  autumn  gales,  and  every  one  who 
stood  drank  deep  of  the  bitterness  of  death.  In  in- 
stances these  losses  of  a single  day,  perhaps  of  a 
brief  hour  of  fighting,  amounted  to  one-third,  or 
even  one-half,  of  all  sustained  during  three  or  four 
years  of  service.  Other  regiments  there  were  which 
had  never  known  one  transcendent  moment  of  mortal 
agony,  but  had  spread  their  gigantic  total  of  the 
killed  not  very  unevenly  over  a half  score  of  battles. 

Such,  its  column  closed  by  Wainwright’s  Artillery 


5U 


APPENDIX  III. 


Brigade,  was  the  Fifth  Corps  as  it  moved  swiftly  and 
steadily  up  the  Avenue  on  that  May  morning,  amid 
the  plaudits  of  the  spectators,  past  the  reviewing 
stand,  and  then  taking  the  route  step,  made  its  way 
to  Georgetown,  whence  it  marched  across  the  Aque- 
duct Bridge  to  the  well  remembered  camps  at  Ball’s 
Cross  Roads. 

It  is  now  four  full  hours  since  the  column  began 
to  move,  and  all  eyes  are  strained  and  weary  from 
watching  the  quick-succeeding  divisions  and  bri- 
gades. But  of  all  who  gaze  from  sidewalk  or  balcony, 
window  or  housetop,  no  one  leaves  his  post,  for  a 
corps  not  less  renowned  than  any  which  had  fought 
out  that  bloody  strife  to  triumphant  issue  advances 
to  salute  the  chief  under  whom  it  has  conquered. 

At  its  head,  on  a snow  white  horse,  followed  by  a 
score  of  officers  all  similarly  mounted,  rides  that 
thrice  accomplished  soldier  and  scholar,  Andrew  A. 
Humphreys.  His  serene  and  noble  face  is  lighted 
with  the  joy  of  triumph  and  the  pride  he  feels  in  the 
troops  which  follow  him,  the  corps  of  Sumner, 
Couch  and  Hancock,  that  corps  which  in  fair  fight 
with  Lee’s  great  army  had  taken  44  Confederate 
flags  ere  it  lost  a color  of  its  own  ; which  had  left 
more  than  40,000  of  its  numbers  killed  or  wounded 
on  the  battlefields  of  Virginia,  Maryland  and  Penn- 
sylvania ; the  corps  which  crossed  the  Chickahominy 
to  the  rescue  of  the  beaten  left  at  Fair  Oaks  ; which 
delivered  the  great  assault  on  Marye’s  Heights  ; upon 
which  fell  Longstreet’s  attack  at  Gettysburg;  which 
stormed  the  Salient  at  Spottsylvania  ; and  at  Farm- 
ville  on  April  7,  1865,  fought  the  last  infantry  battle 
of  the  war. 

Out  of  the  100  regiments  sustaining  the  heaviest 


APPENDIX  III. 


5i5 

losses  in  all  of  the  armies  of  the  Union,  East  or 
West,  35  have  served  under  this  corps’  banners. 
Some  of  these,  indeed,  long  since  wasted  to  skele- 
tons, have  been  sent  away  from  the  front,  but  there 
still  remain  enough  to  witness  three  years  of  des- 
perate battle. 

Here  is  the  First  Maine  Heavy  Artillery,  which 
leads  the  roll  of  regiments  suffering  the  greatest  ab- 
solute loss  in  a single  battle,  632  of  its  officers  and 
men  having  fallen  in  the  desperate  charge  of  June 
18,  at  Petersburg,  of  whom  210  were  killed  or  mor- 
tally wounded.  Just  one  month  before,  at  Spottsyl- 
vania,  it  had  lost  in  action  147  killed  or  mortally 
wounded.  Its  aggregate  for  the  war  is  432,  or  19 
per  cent,  of  its  total  enrollment. 

Here,  too,  is  the  Fifth  New  Hampshire,  gallant 
Cross’  gallant  men,  which  leads  the  roll  of  all  infan- 
try regiments  in  the  total  number  of  its  casualties, 
295  having  been  killed  or  mortally  wounded  in  its 
ranks.  There  marches  the  First  Minnesota,  the 
regiment  suffering  the  largest  proportional  casual- 
ties in  any  one  battle,  having  lost  224  men,  killed 
and  wounded,  out  of  the  262  it  took  into  the  action 
at  Gettysburg,  or  83  out  of  every  100. 

Here,  too,  are  such  renowned  regiments  as  the 
17th  and  19th  of  Maine  ; the  First  Heavy  Artillery 
of  Massachusetts,  and  its  11th,  19th,  20tli,  28th  regi- 
ments of  Infantry  ; the  8th  regiment  of  Heavy  Artil- 
lery from  New  York,  and  its  40th,  52d,  61st,  63d, 
64th,  69th,  73d,  86th,  88th,  93d,  111th,  120th,  124th, 
125th,  126th,  164th  and  170tli  regiments  of  Infantry  ; 
the  7th,  8th,  11th  and  12th  New  Jersey  ; the  53d, 
57th,  69tli,  81st,  116th,  140th,  145th  and  148th 
Pennsylvania ; the  1st  Delaware,  Tom  Smythe’s  old 

35 


546 


APPENDIX  III. 


regiment;  the  7th  West  Virginia;  Meikel’s  20th 
Indiana  ; the  5th  and  7th  Michigan  ; Frank  Haskell’s 
36th  Wisconsin. 

Such  are  some  of  the  regiments  which  compose  the 
column  of  the  Second  Corps  in  the  grand  review. 
Its  first  division  is  to-day  commanded  by  Gen.  John 
Ramsay.  Here  is  all  that  is  left  of  the  old  division 
of  Sumner,  Richardson  and  Hancock,  including  the 
once  famous  brigades  of  Brooke,  Caldwell.  Zook  and 
Meagher,  together  with  the  survivors  of  Alexander 
Hay’s  brigade,  which  came  up  at  Gettysburg  and 
helped  to  hold  Cemetery  Ridge  against  Pickett’s 
men.  This  is  the  division  which  lost  in  the  war 
2,237  men  killed  and  11,724  wounded.  These  are  the 
men  of  the  Sunday  morning  at  Fair  Oaks,  of  the 
Sunken  Road  at  Antietam,  of  the  Stone  Wall  at 
Fredericksburg,  of  the  Wheat  Field  at  Gettysburg, 
of  the  Salient  at  Spottsylvania,  of  the  closing  fight 
at  Farmville. 

Next  comes  the  division  commanded  by  Gen. 
Frank  Barlow,  the  old  division  of  Sedgwick.  Here 
are  the  men  of  Ball’s  Bluff, — the  men  who  crossed 
the  Chickaliominy  with  Kirby’s  battery  on  the  31st  of 
May,  to  come  up  upon  the  right  of  the  Fourth  Corps 
at  Fair  Oaks,  and  who  held  the  rear  of  the  retreating 
army  at  Savage  Station.  These  are  the  men  who 
came  alive  out  of  the  frightful  charge  at  the  Dunker 
church  on  the  17tli  of  September  ; the  men  who 
stood  on  the  right  and  on  the  left  of  the  clump  of 
trees  upon  which  Longstreet  directed  his  great 
charge  ; and  who  there,  under  Gibbon  and  Hall  and 
Andy  Webb,  twenty-seven  years  ago  this  very  day 
and  hour,  beat  back  the  furious  flood  of  rampant 
rebellion  at  its  utmost  height.  With  them  are  all 


APPENDIX  III.  547 

that  are  left  of  the  Corcoran  Legion,  and  of  French’s 
old  Third  Division  of  the  Second  Corps. 

And  now,  under  Gershom  Mott,  advances  the  last 
division  of  the  great  infantry  column,  made  up  of  the 
survivors  of  the  magnificent  divisions  of  Kearny  and 
Hooker.  Its  three  brigades,  under  De  Trobriand, 
Pierce  and  McAllister,  tried  in  the  fire  of  more  than 
thirty  battles,  comprise  a wealth  of  courage  and  dis- 
cipline never  surpassed  in  the  history  of  war.  These 
are  the  men  of  Williamsburg  and  Seven  Pines,  of  Glen- 
dale and  Bristoe  Station,  of  Manassas  and  Chantilly, 
of  Chancellorsville  and  the  Peach  Orchard  at  Gettys- 
burg ; who  on  the  opening  of  the  great  campaign  of 
’64,  leaving  their  old  associations  with  passionate  re- 
gret, carried  into  their  new  relation  the  same  devoted 
loyalty,  the  same  fiery  yet  steadfast  courage,  which 
had  made  the  name  of  the  Third  Corps  the  synonym 
of  soldierly  virtue. 

And  now  Hazard’s  Artillery  Brigade  brings  up  the 
rear,  and  the  great  review  is  over. 

This  it  was  which  the  young  officer  of  artillery 
saw,  as  for  six  hours  he  looked  upon  that  mighty  col- 
umn, scarcely  once  withdrawing  his  eager  gaze. 
What  was  it  he  did  not  see  ? What  was  it  that  he 
missed  ? Ah  1 that  story  would  be  longer,  far,  than 
the  one  which  I have  thus  rudely  and  hurriedly  told. 
Those  who  were  absent  from  the  column  would  have 
lengthened  the  march  out  through  a whole  day  and 
night.  How  greatly,  too,  would  their  presence  have 
altered  its  aspect  1 

Of  those  whose  forms  had  once  been  most  con- 
spicuous in  this  gallant  army,  were  some  who,  after 
rising  to  high  command,  had,  whether  through  the 
accidents  of  fortune,  or  through  popular  or  admini- 


548 


APPENDIX  III. 


strative  impatience,  or  because  of  their  own  confessed 
limitations,  been  removed,  under  more  or  less  cen- 
sure, yet  carrying  with  them  for  life  and  forever  the 
love  and  devotion  of  their  soldiers.  Such,  in  the 
highest  place,  were  McClellan,  Burnside  and  Hooker. 
A few  there  were  whose  retirement  had  savored  of 
personal  and  political  persecution.  Their  names 
will  too  readily  occur  to  every  mind  to  require  men- 
tion here. 

Many  there  were  who  with  less  observation  had 
drifted  out  of  the  current  of  active  operations,  per- 
haps through  changes  for  the  benefit  of  the  service, 
yet  without  any  imputation  upon  their  courage  or 
patriotic  devotion.  Of  these  I surely  need  not  speak. 
Others  there  were  who  in  the  height  of  their  useful- 
ness had  been  removed  by  cruel  wounds,  and  had 
been  condemned  for  the  rest  of  the  war  to  see 
younger  and  more  fortunate  soldiers  occupy  their 
places  and  lead  their  troops  to  battle.  Some,  too, 
there  were  who  after  long  and  continued  service  in 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  had  carried  their  swords 
to  other  fields.  Such  were  Hancock  and  Slocum, 
Couch  and  Howard,  Williams,  Gibbon  and  Geary. 

But  where,  on  the  day  of  the  great  review,  were 
Reynolds  and  Reno,  Kearny  and  Richardson,  Whipple 
and  Berry,  Stevens  and  Bayard,  Rice  and  Wadsworth, 
Zook  and  Alexander  Hays,  Weed  and  Vincent,  Tay- 
lor and  Rodman,  Stevenson  and  Smythe?  All  in 
soldiers’  graves ; killed  in  battle.  Sumner,  too,  the 
heroic  veteran,  and  David  B.  Birney,  had  yielded  to 
the  stroke  of  disease,  hardly  less  fatal  in  war  than 
the  bullet  of  the  enemy.  The  Sixth  Corps  was,  in- 
deed, still  in  the  field.  But  where  were  Sedgwick 
and  David  A.  Russell?  And  who  shall  call  the  roll 


APPENDIX  III. 


549 


of  the  thousands  of  younger  officers  and  tens  of 
thousands  of  enlisted  men  who  had  dropped  out  of 
the  ranks  of  that  gallant  army  in  three  years  of  al- 
most continuous  battle  ? Had  the  eye  of  the  spirit 
been  opened  upon  the  23d  of  May,  the  spectator 
would  have  seen  by  the  side  of  each  man  who  moved 
firmly  and  proudly  in  the  victorious  column  three 
wounded  and  crippled  men,  limping  and  stumbling 
in  their  eager  desire  to  keep  up  with  their  more  for- 
tunate comrades,  wffiile  with  the  four  stalked  one 
pale  ghost. 

Such,  companions,  have  been  my  thoughts  con- 
cerning the  great  pageant  of  1865.  What  if  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  were  to  be  summoned  by 
authority  which  no  man  could  resist,  to  meet  in 
Washington  this  25th  year  after  the  conclusion  of  the 
war,  and  all  were  to  come  up  from  their  homes.  East 
or  West,  North  or  South,  to  pass  in  review  before  the 
Commander-in-Chief  of  the  armies  of  the  United 
States  to-day  ? We  should  march  in  column  along 
an  avenue  nobler  and  statelier  far,  through  a city  to 
which  the  Washington  of  1865  was  but  as  the  grub 
to  the  butterfly.  That  city,  the  capital  of  a nation  of 
whose  grandeur  the  most  patriotic  American  of  a 
quarter  century  ago  could  have  formed  no  adequate 
conception.  Already  in  the  front  rank  of  the  powers 
of  earth,  it  stands  at  the  entrance  of  a career  such 
as  has  been  vouchsafed  to  no  other  people.  Greater 
than  all  the  empires  of  history,  yet  under  no  neces- 
sity to  raise  an  army  for  an  hour,  in  war,  whether  to 
maintain  its  independence  and  its  dignity,  or  to  make 
good  a single  one  of  its  rightful  claims,  it  will  be  free 
to  dedicate  its  mighty  powers  and  resources,  entire 
and  undivided,  to  the  glorious  task  of  illustrating  to 


550 


APPENDIX  III. 


all  mankind  the  blessings  of  peace,  freedom,  and 
educated  labor. 

But  what  of  the  column  of  that  great  nation’s 
defenders  in  its  hour  of  direst  peril  which  would  be 
summoned  by  such  a call  as  I have  proposed,  to  pass 
through  the  beautiful  streets  of  the  new  Washing- 
ton ? Where  are  its  leaders  now  ? Grant  is  gone, 
and  Sheridan  and  Meade.  Gone  are  McClellan,  Burn- 
side, Hooker,  McDowell,  all  who  ever  commanded 
that  army,  except  the  one  I will  not  name.  Gone 
are  Hancock,  Humphreys  and  Warren,  Griffin, 
Ayres  and  Mott.  More  than  half,  doubtless,  of  those 
who  took  part  in  the  grand  review  are  now  at  rest, 
while  among  the  survivors  the  shafts  of  death  are 
falling  to-day  faster  than  they  fell  in  ’62  or  ’63  or  ’64. 
And  of  those  who  should  come  up  at  such  a call,  how 
changed  the  aspect.  Quantum  mutatus  ab  illo ! 
How  enfeebled  the  limbs,  how  ashen  and  shrunken 
the  cheeks  of  thousands  who  then  strode  along  in  all 
pride  and  vigor  of  youthful  manhood  ! How  many, 
think  you,  out  of  all  that  host  could  this  day  com- 
pass that  one  long  march,  much  more  undertake  the 
stern  duties  of  a soldier's  life  ? 

Yes,  comrades,  our  day  is  over.  Mustered  out  of 
service,  enfeebled  by  years,  disabled  by  wounds,  we 
are  no  longer  to  be  counted  even  among  the  military 
reserves  of  the  country.  Another  war,  should  it 
occur,  would  have  to  be  fought  by  younger  and 
stronger  hands  than  ours.  But  no  one  can  take 
from  us  our  certificates  of  honorable  discharge,  or 
diminish  the  part  we  had  in  the  nation’s  deliverance. 
Whenever  we  see  the  statue  of  one  of  our  heroes 
dedicated  amid  the  applause  of  thousands,  and  the 
thunders  of  cannon,  whenever  we  hear  some  moving 


APPENDIX  III. 


551 


tale  of  the  war  in  Virginia,  whenever  we  see  some 
crippled  veteran  halting  in  his  steps,  each  of  us  may 
stand  up  and  proudly  cry,  “ I,  too,  was  of  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac.” 

To  the  foregoing  report  the  Secretary  of  the  Soci- 
ety (General  Horatio  C.  King)  adds  : 

“ The  Secretary  has  not  attempted  to  record  the 
frequent  applause  in  the  oration  or  poem  or  in  any  of 
the  proceedings.  It  was  so  generous  that  to  note  it 
would  unnecessarily  encumber  the  record.  General 
Walker’s  masterly  address  was  delivered  without 
notes,  and  his  recital  of  dates  and  details  before  an 
audience  ready  to  catch  him  if  he  erred  in  any  par- 
ticular, displayed  a remarkable  memory  and  steady 
nerve.  The  attention  bestowed  and  the  constant 
interruption  by  applause  sufficiently  attested  the  ap- 
preciation of  this  superb  effort.” 


INDEX 


A 


Adam,  A,,  63. 

Atchafalaya,  291. 

Anderson,  General.  20,  81,  181. 

Amelia  Court-House,  80,  91,  92, 104, 110,  111,  115, 117, 
119,  122,  123,  124,  131,  133,  135,  137,  139,  140. 

Avery,  Brev.  Brig. -General,  321. 

Appomattox  River,  13,  79,  89,  90,  94,  177,  203,  209, 
271,  294,  299. 

Appomattox  Court-House,  214,  217,  228.  229,  232,  233, 
238,  243,  250.  251,  255,  260,  261,  262,  266,  281,  329, 
339,  341,  352,  358,  360.  361,  362,  379.  383,  390,  394, 
395,  398,  401,  404,  407,  408,  414.  425. 

Appomattox  Depot.  241,  248.  340.  388.  411. 

Appomattox.  322,  326,  327,  328,  332,  338,  349,  377,  381, 
389,  393,  399,  421. 

Appomattox,  The  Night  before,  328. 

Abbott,  Capt.  George  R.,  397, 

Augur,  Maj.-Genl.,  310. 

Audenried,  Major,  300. 

Army  of  the  Potomac,  14, 15.  16.  23. 124, 144, 145, 156, 
208,  213,  218,  253,  280,  295,  306,  316,  381,  383,  385, 
393,  399.  495,  497. 

Ayres,  General,  33,  73,  75,  76,  77,  250.  258.  322,  393. 

Army  of  the  James.  25,  70,  80,  85. 103, 104, 171, 175, 184, 
198,  242,  258,  380,  385,  386.  405,  406,  415,  419,  421. 

Army  of  the  Tennessee,  495,  517. 

Army  of  Georgia,  495,  522. 

B. 


Barringer,  General,  101. 

Bayard,  Major-General,  124. 

Barlow,  General.  173,  184,  185.  186,  188,  189,  322. 
Bartlett,  General,  251,  258,  393. 

553 


554: 


INDEX. 


Babcock,  Colonel,  377. 

Barton,  General,  163. 

Bailey,  Colonel,  292. 

Bache,  Colonel,  469. 

Breckinridge,  Genl.  J.  C.,  27,  81,  338. 

Birney,  General,  17,  249,  258. 

Boisseau.  J.,  57.  62,  63,  70,  73. 

Booke,  Major  Giles,  270. 

Bowers,  Col.  T.  S.,  92,  93.  96. 

Blodgett,  Fred  E.,  224. 

Buford,  Genl.  John,  37. 

Burkesville.  104,  112,  170,  274,  280. 

Button,  General,  161. 

Burnes,  Col.  M.  W.  451. 

C. 

Capehart,  Colonel,  16,  53,  57,  103,  225. 

Charles  City,  13. 

Crawford,  General,  34,  73,  75,  77,  258. 

Chamberlain’s  Creek,  36.  57,  67. 

Chadbourne,  Major,  40,  41. 

Chancellorsville,  59. 

Chapel  Hill,  308. 

Chamberlain,  Genl.  Joshua  L.,  394,  396. 

Clark,  Lieut.  Hiram,  395. 

Campbell,  Judge,  164. 

Clarendon  Hist.  Society,  167,  168. 

Cilley,  Genl.  Jonathan,  424. 

Crook,  Major-General.  16,  20,  30,  31,  36,  46,  47,  48,  57, 
67,  68,  70,  71,  89. 105, 107, 110, 119, 128, 129, 131, 139, 
141,  142,  143,  145,  146,147,  148,  149,  151,  155,  157, 
170,  172,  174,  176,  183,  186,  187,  189,  190,  192,  193, 
195,  197,  199,  201,  203,  209,  211,  221,  223,  241,  242, 
244,  245,  246,  259,  280,  284,  293,  296,  316,  321,  322, 
373,  385,  388,  403,  404,  408,  410,  413,  414,  419,  421, 
422,  429. 

Corse,  General,  163. 

Continental  Congress,  305. 

Coppinger,  Col.  John  J.,  423. 

Custer,  Brevet,  Major-General,  16,  20,  24,  30,  46,  47, 
52,  54,  55,  56,  57,  63,  67,  70,  73,  76,  77,  97, 101, 102, 
105,  139,  141,  143,  144,  145,  146,  147,  148,  149,  150, 
154,  156,  171,  211,  214,  216,  217,  218,  221,  222,  223, 
224,  225,  226,  227,  228,  230,  231,  239,  251,  252,  254, 


INDEX. 


555 


255,  261,  317,  319.  321,  328,  329,  358,  360,  361,  370, 
373,  374,  375,  386,  405,  406,  407,  409,  411,  413,  423, 
424. 

Curtis,  Brig.-Genl.  N.  M.,  356. 

D. 

Davies,  General,  16,  36,  39,  42,  43,  46,  47,  48,  56,  57, 
58,  123,  124,  125,  128,  129,  131,  134,  146,  148,  151, 
183,  192,  195,  196,  243,  244,  245,  249,  250,  261,  284, 
321,  349,  414,  415,  416,  421. 

Davies,  Genl.  H.  E.,  Jr.,  414. 

Davis,  Jefferson,  85,  107,  337. 

Davis,  Mrs.  Jefferson,  337. 

Dandjr,  Colonel,  430,  432. 

Devin,  Brig.-Genl.  Thomas  C.,  16,  20,  24,  31,  36,  37, 
39,  42,  43,  47,  48,  49,  56,  57,  58,  67,  70.  97.  101, 105, 
119,  139,  141,  143,  149,  171,  211,  212,  218,  223,  224, 
230,  241,  251,  321.  349,  405,  408,  409,  421,  422. 

De  Barre.  General,  161. 

De  Foe,  General,  163. 

De  Peyster,  General  J.  Watts,  167,  168,  439. 

Dinwiddie  Court-House,  19,  20,  23,  25,  29,  32,  46,  57, 
58,  69,  71,  81, 

Dinwiddie,  Governor,  22. 

Dickinson,  Capt..  329. 

Doolittle,  Lieut. -Col.  Isaac,  397. 

Durvea  Zouaves,  129. 

Dunn,  Lieut.  135. 


E. 


Early.  General,  27. 

Eckhart,  Major,  278. 

Evans,  Colonel,  419,  421. 

Ewell,  Lieut. -Genl.  R.  S.,  82,  143,  153. 

F. 

Fairfax  Court-House.  320,  377. 

Fairchild,  Colonel.  430. 

Fredericksburg,  83,  124. 

Fitzhugh,  Colonel,  16,  37,  42,  46. 

Five-Forks.  24,  25,  29.  33.  36,  39,  41,  62,67,  68,  69,  70, 
71,  78,  80,  81,  84,  85,  87. 


556  INDEX. 

Fifth  Corps,  17,  19,  20,  35,  36,  62,  67,  68,  69,  70,  71, 
73,  74,  75,  78,  81,  86,  93,  94,  95,  103,  104,  118, 

120,  121, 129,  138,  163,  164,  209,  210,  219,  232,  238, 

242,  250,  251,  258,  359,  368,  386,  393,  395,  396,  398, 

401,  402,  495,  406,  408,  410,  427,  428,  433,  506. 

First  Maine  Cavalry,  41,  423,  424. 

First  Pennsylvania,  124,  131,  132. 

First  New  Jersey,  124, 132. 

First  Cavalry  Division,  238,  358,  359. 

First  Maine  Sharpshooters,  397,  416. 

Fifth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  421. 

Fifteenth  Army  Corps,  517. 

Fort  Steadman,  14. 

Ford’s  Station,  24,  71,  89. 

Forsyth,  Colonel,  50,  96. 

Forsyth,  General,  119,  122,  237,  238,  257,  322,  372,  376, 
377,  390,  403. 

Foster,  General,  94,  104,  248,  249,  258,  387,  401,  427, 
428,  429. 

Fowler,  Capt.  William,  396. 

Ford’s  Theater,  278. 

Fourteenth  Army  Corps,  523. 

G. 

Grant,  General  U.  S.,  14,  15,  24,  25,  27,  28,  32,  56,  60, 
61,  62,  73,  80.  85,  86,87.  89.  93,  94,  104,  113,  116, 
134,  138,  162,  163,  178,  197,  204,  205,  210,  211,  232, 

234,  235,  254,  255,  256,  257,  260,  263,  265,  269,  271, 

274,  281,  293,  300,  308.  312,  318,  322,  328,  334,  335, 

336,  337,  338,  340,  351,  357,  358,  359,  362,  363,  364, 

365,  366,  367,  368,  369,  370,  371,  372,  376,  377,  378, 

379,  380,  381,  382,  384,  385,  386,  387,  388,  399,  400, 

407,  433,  434,  435,  436,  437,  438,  495. 

Gary,  General,  375. 

Grand  Review,  495. 

Gregg,  Brevet  Brig.-General  Irwin,  16,  17,  47,  48,  57, 
67,  70,  131,  141,  146,  147,  148,  151,  192,  193,  195, 
196,  202,  242,  296,  356,  355. 

Gettysburg,  59,  82. 

Greene,  Capt.  C.  W.,  232. 

Gregory,  Brig.-Genl.  E.  M.,  395. 

Gibbs,  General,  16,  37,  42,  48,  57,  421. 

Gibbon,  Major-General,  17.  164,  237,  238,  258,  322, 
352,  359,  386,  401,  405,  427,  435,  437. 


INDEX.  557 

Griffin,  General,  34,  36,  73,  77,  78,  210,  258,  322,  381, 
386,  393.  400,  401,  405,  427,  437. 

Gilmer.  Judge,  356. 

Giles,  Private  Henry,  398. 

Gordon,  General,  92,  244,255,  259,  273,  332,  333,  340, 
343,  364,  369,  373,  374,  375,  376,  401,  407,  428,  432, 
437. 

H. 

Hatcher’s  Run,  13.  17,  19,  23,  81,  86,  88,  90. 

Harris  Light  Cavalry,  130,  223. 

Halleck,  General,  280,  294,  295. 

Harrison,  Burton  N.,  337. 

Haskell,  General,  337. 

Hayes,  Genl.  Joseph,  398. 

Heintzelman,  General,  293. 

Hill.  Lieut. -Colonel,  432. 

Hooker,  General,  293. 

Hotchkiss.  Capt.  352,  353. 

Howard,  Major-General  O.  O.,  356,  495. 

Humphreys,  General,  35,  86,  87,  88,  94,  95,  140, 144, 
167,  172,  173,  174,  176,  177,  178,  184.  185,  187, 
188,  190,  197,  202,  208,  219,  220,  244,  252,  333,  357, 
360,  363,  364,  365,  366,  383,  386,  388,  390,  391,  442. 
Huger,  General,  337. 

Humphreys,  Col.  H.  H.,365. 

I. 

Irwin,  Brevet  Brig.-General,  16. 

J. 

James  River,  13,  15,  25. 

Janeway,  Colonel,  132. 

Jackson,  General,  355.  356. 

Jetersville,  132,  133,  137,  139,  211. 

Johnson,  Bushrod,  20,  71. 

Johnston,  General.  28,  80,  81,  268,  280,  281,  285,  293, 
339,  344,  345,  346,  436. 

K. 

Kershaw,  General,  161,  163. 

Kearney,  General,  293. 

Kilpatrick,  General,  129,  300. 


558 


INDEX. 


L. 

Lee’s  Army,  14,  32,  44,  75,  77. 

Lee,  General  Robert  E.,  14,  27,  28,  31,  32,  71,  80,  81, 
85,  89.  104,  105,  110,  111,  113,  128,  133,  134,  137, 
139,  142,  162,  171,  181,  182,  203,  204,  208,  212,  213, 
217,  218,  234,  239,  240,  243,  244,  251,  255,  256,  257, 
259,  260,  262,  266,  267,  268,  269,  271,  272,  274,  278, 
293,  322,  328,  329,  330,  332,  336,  337,  338,  349,  350, 
354,  355,  356,  358,  360,  362,  363,  364,  365,  366,  367, 
368,  369,  370,  371,  376,  380,  381,  382,  384,  388,  390, 
393,  396,  398,  399,  400,  401,  407,  424,  426,  433,  434, 
435,  436,  437,  438. 

Lee’s  Farewell,  271. 

Lee,  General  Wm.  H.  F.,  27,  49,  58,  71,  81,  259,  273, 
339,  341,  342,  344,  434. 

Lee,  Genl.  Fitzhugh,  49,  58,  71,  81,131,  244,262,  333, 

339,  344,  383,  434,  435. 

Lee,  General  Custis,  161,  163,  274,  434. 

Lincoln,  President,  92,  93,  94,  96,  113,  114,  134,  165, 
278,  318. 

Lincoln,  Mrs..  93,  96. 

Longstreet,  General,  27,  28,  82,  244,  254,  255,  259,  332, 

340,  367,  376,  377,  407,  411,  437. 

Lord’s  Battery,  192,  196,  197,  242,  416. 

Lomax,  General,  338,  354,  356. 

Lord,  Lieut.  James  H.,  416. 

Lynchburg,  15,  112,  123,  137.  139,  171,  177,  187,  193, 
197,  206,  209,  217,  218,  227,  228,  229,  239,  240,  241, 

242,  244,  245,  248,  250,  261,  262,  296,  333,  335,  341, 

349,  353,  354,  357,  361,  369,  374,  381,  388,  389,  391, 

398,  399,  400,  404,  411,  413,  414,  420,  421,  428,  433. 


M. 


Magruder,  General,  293. 

Malvern  Hill,  34. 

Marshall,  Lieut.  Col.  Charles,  270. 

Martin,  Capt.,  392. 

Mason,  Lieut. -Col.  Fred.  T.,  432. 

Merritt,  Brev.  Major-General,  16,  24,  42,  55,  67,  70, 
72,  76,  116,  119,  121,  122,  139,  142,  149,  171,  203, 
211,  242,  245,  251,  259.  273,  317,  321,  322.  373, 
375,  382,  402,  403,  404,  407,  409,  412,  437. 


INDEX. 


559 


Meade,  General,  80,  86,  95,104,  113,120,  121,  122,  137, 
138,  140,  188,  189,  208,  210,  211,  221,  252,  253,  258, 

260,  278,  295,  296,  312,  316,  318,  357,  361,  362,  363, 

366,  367,  368,  369,  371,  372,  376,  377,  380,  381,  382, 

383,  384,  385,  386,  388,  389,  390,  434,  435,  495. 

Medill,  General,  89. 

Miles,  Major-General,  35,  85,  86,  87,  88,  95,  96,  189, 

Minnegerode,  Jr..  Lieut.  Charles,  344,  345. 

Mott,  Maj.-Genl.  Gershom,  186,  442. 

Mosby,  General,  436. 

Munford,  Genl.,  339,  341,  344,  345,  348,  351,  354,  357, 
358,  434. 

Myrick.  Capt.  John  D.,  41. 

Myers,  Lieut. -Col.  Daniel,  396. 

Me. 

McRae,  General,  88. 

McKenzie,  General,  62,  70,  74,  103,  105,  119,  122,  134, 
149,  199,  203,  211,  242,  246,  250,  261,  349,  351,  385, 
386,  403,  413,  414,  415,  417,  421. 

McClellan,  General,  293. 

McLean,  Mr.,  383. 

McAllister,  Major-General,  442. 

McGowan,  General,  87. 

McDowall,  General,  89. 

McCoy,  Colonel  T.  F.,  399. 

N. 

Namozine  Church,  101,  102,  103,  104,  115. 

Newhall,  Colonel.  41,  121,  375,  376. 

Nelson,  Colonel,  356. 

Ninth  Corps,  14,  25,  85,  252.  281,  316,  495,  504. 

Nottoway  Court-House,  113,  134. 

O. 

One  Hundred  and  Fortieth  Pennsylvania,  391. 

One  Hundred  and  Ninetieth  Pennsylvania  Vol.,  251, 
392. 

One  Hundred  and  Ninety-first  Pennsylvania  Vol., 
251  392 

One  Hundred  and  Fifty-fifth  Pennsylvania,  393. 

One  Hundred  and  Eighty-fifth  N.Y.  Vol.,  393,  395. 


5G0 


INDEX. 


One  Hundred  and  Ninety-eighth  Pennsylvania,  393. 
One  Hundred  and  Eighty-seventh  N.Y.  Vol.,  396. 
One  Hundred  and  Eighty-eighth  N.Y.  Vol.,  396. 
One  Hundred  and  Sixteenth  Ohio  Cavalry,  175. 

One  Hundred  and  Twenty-Third  Ohio  Cavalry,  175. 
Ord,  Major-General,  16,  25,  93,  104,  113,  143,  170,  174, 
176,  203,  209,  232,  242,  248,  258,  259,  261,  322,  357, 
359,  365,  370,  371,  372,  374,  378,  379,  381,  385,  386, 
390,  400,  401,  403,  405,  406,  407,  427,  428. 

Olcott,  Lieut.,  419. 

Osborn,  Colonel,  429,  431. 


P. 


Parke,  General,  104. 

Praton,  Lieut. -Col.  H.  E.,  270. 

Pattee,  Colonel,  392. 

Patrick  Station,  94. 

Paine,  Col.  W.  H.,  442. 

Petersburg,  13,  14,  20,  25,  40,  71,  75,  80,  81,  85,  86.  88, 
89,  90,  97,  125,  177,  215,  264,  273,  275,  277,  279, 
280,  282,  293,  294,  295,  313.  332,  386. 

Pennington,  Colonel,  16,  53,  57,  103,  148,  151,  225. 
Penrose,  Capt.,  93. 

Pendleton,  Genl.  Wm.  N.,  329,  332,  424,  437. 

Preston.  Colonel,  353. 

Pease,  Lieut.  Chas.  E.,  365. 

Pickett,  General,  28,  36,  49,  55,  58,  71,78,  81,  120,  125, 
266,  273. 

Prince  Edward  Court-House,  171,  197,  199,  203,  206, 

211. 


R. 


Ramsey,  General,  189. 

Rawlins,  Major-General,  408. 

Reed,  General,  175. 

Richmond,  13.  14.  27,  80,85,  97,  104,272,  273,  274,  280, 
293,  294,  295,  296,  331,  339,  353,  369. 

Rosser,  General,  49,  58.  338,  339,  342,  344,  345,  354, 
355,  356,  434. 

Roberts,  Capt.  Cyrus  S.,  158. 

Root,  Lieut. -Col.  August  J.,  232. 

Rowanty  Creek,  18. 


INDEX. 


561 


S. 


Stagg,  Colonel,  16,  37,  42,  46,  144,  149. 

Savage,  Colonel,  41. 

Sharpe,  General,  268,  270,  336. 

Stanton,  Secretary  of  War,  113,  114,  116,  135,  264, 
_ 328,  435. 

Sailor’s  Crock  144# 

Sheridan,  Generali  15, 16, 17,  20.  23,  25,  27,  28,  30,  32, 
33,  36,  38,  39,  41,  42,  48,  50,  54,  56,  58,  60,  61, 
64,  65,  66,  67,  68,  69,  70,  71,  73,  74,  75,  77,  78,  79, 
82,  83,  84,  85,  86,88,  95,97,  98,  100,  101,  102,  104, 
105,  107,  110,  111,  112,  116,  120,  122,  134,  135,  139, 

140,  141,  143,  144,  149,  162,  163,  170,  171,  197,  199, 

200,  203,  204,  205,  211,  212,  213,  214,  216,  218,  220, 

232,  234,  236,  238,  242,  244,  250,  251,  252,  257,  258, 

259,  260,  261,  265,  273,  274,  278,  280,  281,  282, 
284,  285,  289,  290,  292,  293,  294,  295,  299,  300,  301, 

313,  316,  320,  321,  322.  327,  328,  358,  359,  361,  362, 

365,  366,  368,  373,  374,  375,  376,  377,  378,  379,  381, 

382,  384,  385,  388,  389,  390,  392,  393,  396,  400,  402, 

404,  407,  418,  428, 

Second  Corps,  17,  24,  39,  85,  93,  94,  104, 113,  121,  135, 
144, 163,  187,  205,  208,  209,  210,  235,  251,  255,  334, 
359,  364,  365,  367,  368,  380,  381,  386,  388,  389,  390, 
392,  402,  434,  442,  508. 

Second  New  York  Mounted  Rifles,  40,  41,  223,  224. 

Shenandoah,  15,  39. 

Shenandoah  Valley,  27. 

Sherman,  General,  W.  T.  29,  32,  78,  79,  114,  282,  286, 
294,  295,  296,  308,  312,  318,  496. 

Sheridan’s  Scouts,  98,  100,  2S8. 

Stevens,  General,  91. 

Seward,  Secretary,  164. 

Seventeenth  Army  Corps,  520. 

Smith,  Brevet  Brig. -General,  16,  39,  47,  49,  51,  57, 
131,  141,  148,  151,  180,  182,  183,  193,  196,  243, 
244,  245,  296,  329,  413,  414,  415,  416,  421. 

Sixteenth  North  Carolina.  19. 

Sixth  Corps,  24,  85,  104,  113,  120,  121,  135,  144,  163, 
184,  186,  188,  189,  198,  203,  205,  210,  251,  278, 
283,  289,  293,  357,  365,  380,  381,  386,  388,  434. 

Swinton,  William,  202. 

Simms,  Capt.,  254. 

Stony  Creek,  27,  31,  32. 


562 


INDEX. 


Sorrel,  General,  358. 

Stockton,  Capt.  W.  A.  F.,  393. 

Sutherland’s  Station,  94,  95,  114. 

Slocum,  Major-General,  496. 

Stuart,  General  J.  E.  B.,  297. 

Smythe,  Brig. -General,  185,  202. 

T. 

Taylor,  Lieut. -Col.  W.H.,270. 

Twenty-fourth  Corps,  16,  24,  93,  124,  164,  205,  219, 
242,  258,  365,  386,  387,  398,  406,  419,  420,  427. 
Treichel,  Major  Charles,  48. 

Terry,  General,  81. 

Tenth  Corps,  124. 

Tesh,  Lieut.,  351. 

Twenty-fifth  Corps,  386,  406. 

Twenty-fifth  Corps  (Colored),  17. 

Tremain,  General,  H.  E.  41,  167. 

Trevellian  Station,  298. 

Twentieth  Army  Corps,  528. 

Thirteenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  19. 

Thirteenth  Virginia  (Rebels),  19. 

Thomas,  General,  132. 

Thirteenth  Ohio,  132. 

Third  Corps,  168,  208,  209,  251,  279,  442. 

Third  New  Jersey  Cavalry,  224. 

Thompson,  Brev.  Brig. -General,  321. 

Townsend,  Major-General,  E.  D.,  342. 

Turner,  General,  104,  258,  401,  429. 

V. 


Vaughn  Road,  17. 

Venable,  Lieut. -Col.  Clias.  S.,  270,  365. 

W. 

Warren,  Major-General,  19.  33,  63,  69,  77,  129. 
Warren  Court  of  Inquiry,  69,  79. 

Walker’s  Church,  236,  254. 

Washington,  D.  C.,294,  307,  308,  315,  336. 
Walker,  General,  329,  330,  333,  411. 

Walker,  Captain,  329. 


INDEX.  -563 

Wells,  Colonel  16,  102,  103,  115,  148,  151,  226,  321. 
Weitzel,  Major-General,  25,  104,  116,  165. 

Webb,  Major-General  A.  S.,  280. 

Wilson,  Theodore,  55. 

Wilderness,  59. 

Widow  Gilliams,  72. 

Wilcox,  Major-General,  88,  255,  259,  373,  375,  406. 
Whittaker,  Colonel  E.  W.,  227,  254. 

Wright,  Major-General  Horatio  G.,  279,  282,  293. 
White  House,  310, 

Wright,  Mrs.,  394. 

White,  Sergeant,  404. 

Wliitford,  Capt.  120. 


Y. 


Young,  Major,  98,  193,  196,  242,  246,  250,  261. 
Young,  Adj.  H.  S.,  270. 

Young,  Colonel  S.  B.  M.,  413,  414,  421. 


* 


D01 126344 


973.7384 


T739L 


371218 


